Person hit by train Hungerford area this morning (18 October 2011)

[whole diary]

[chineseJohn]

Not a great start today, though I was pleased to have received a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Alerts txt message which saved me the hassle of going to the station.

So I've decided to work from home. In theory I could have made the 06:50 from Theale.

The 07:07 from Theale looks like it got diverted via Swindon. If you're at Reading and you see this service after it's been diverted via Swindon, wait for it because it's virtually empty when it pulls in.

[ChrisB]

Also, overhead power line damage between Taunton & Frome Jct

[JayMac]

That would be National Grid power lines rather than OHLE one assumes.

[ChrisB]

Yes, I queried NRE^‡(resolve) tweeter when they tweeted the same!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Meanwhile ... a warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum, chineseJohn. 

[bobm]

From the Newbury Weekly News

Police traying to trace next of kin following tragedy in early hours
 
POLICE are trying to trace the family of a man struck and killed by a freight train near Hungerford rail station this morning (Tuesday).
A spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)), who asked not to be named, said: ^BTP were called to the lines close to Hungerford rail station following a report of a man being struck by a train.
^Officers attended the incident, which was reported at 4.28am, alongside Thames Valley Police. Paramedics also attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are working to establish the man^s identity and inform his next of kin.^
He added: ^The incident is currently being treated as non-suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.^
The train involved was the 02:10 freight service from Avonmouth to Didcot and lines were handed back to Network Rail at 5.56am.
Passengers experienced delays of between 30 minutes to an hour prior to this morning^s rush hour following the incident.
Services between Westbury and Newbury were suspended and a temporary bus service was in place.
First Great Western spokesman John Ratchford said: "A freight train was on its way to Didcot Power Station when it struck a person at Hungerford. I understand it was non-suspicious. It wasn't a First Great Western train but our trains run on the same line so half a dozen of our services on the same line were disrupted until about 7.30am."
He confirmed that road transport services were put in place for rail services that had to be cancelled.
 

Wonder why the BTP Spokesman didnt want to be named.

[ReWind]

Sorry, I might be being a bit thick here, but why would an Avonmouth - Didcot Freight train be going through Hungerford?  Miles off course!

As ever though, condolences to family and friends!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Carrying coal from Avonmouth to Didcot power station, while keeping out of the way of overnight engineering work, possibly? 

[fatcontroller]

Swindon was shut for engineering work. Hence the lengthy diversion.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From Newbury Today:

Man named in Hungerford train death

The man who died at Hungerford railway station last Tuesday, October 18, has been identified as a member of the town^s Tesco store staff.
The tragedy happened around 4.28am at the station, which is just yards away from the Everlands Road supermarket.
The train involved was the 02:10 freight service from Avonmouth to Didcot and lines were handed back to Network Rail at 5.56am.
The dead man has been formally identified as 30-year-old Sellathurai Vinoharan, a Sri Lankan-born British national who lived at Williams Court, Hungerford.
Hungerford Tesco store manager Paula Wales said Mr Vinoharan, known as Vino, had worked as a night staff member for around two years.
She said: ^We are all shocked and saddened.^
An inquest has been opened and adjourned to a later date.