RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 It seems just luck that this wasn't a serious derailment: http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_investigations_register/150222_froxfield.cfm The bridge parapet doesn't look very substantial, but no doubt there are thousands of similar ones on country lanes: Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Bridge parapet walls look stronger than they actually are. Even a good shunt from a car can dislodge a section. Also don't condemn the driver out of hand. I'm sure he didn't do it deliberately. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium HillsideDepot Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2015 Here is the local press report of the incident http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/archive/2015/02/23/11811680.Rail_services_delayed_after_train_hits_rubble_on_track_at_Froxfield/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jbqfc Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2015 Here is the local press report of the incident http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/archive/2015/02/23/11811680.Rail_services_delayed_after_train_hits_rubble_on_track_at_Froxfield/some good reporting “About five or ten minutes later the train came along and hit the bridge and then jumped off the track and landed back on it and then it jumped about a mile up the track. how can a train jump a mile up the track ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 some good reporting “About five or ten minutes later the train came along and hit the bridge and then jumped off the track and landed back on it and then it jumped about a mile up the track. how can a train jump a mile up the track ? A quote by an air accident investigator from a recent episode of Air Crash Investigation: "Eyewitness accounts can be useful but should usually be taken with a large pinch of salt..." How true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I know this bridge really well - how on earth he managed to attempt driving down it in a large lorry I don't know. Its obvious as you approach and get onto the bridge that the turn the other side is very narrow and very sharp and totally unsuitable for a large vehicle Yes, we should condemn the driver. If he (or she) has such a lack of awareness that they attempted to try driving over this section of road, despite the evidence in front of their eyes, then clearly they shouldn't hold a license. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 some good reporting “About five or ten minutes later the train came along and hit the bridge and then jumped off the track and landed back on it and then it jumped about a mile up the track. how can a train jump a mile up the track ? Problems with the electrical pick ups off the rails causing it to stutter and jump My Hornby 4 VEP did that till I fixed it!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2015 reading the summary on the RAIB website it appears that the driver of the HGV realised what he had done and phoned the emergency services which is to is credit. It is also very lucky that 13 tons of masonry (per the RAIB) didn't derail the train which IIRC was doing 90mph. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 some good reporting “About five or ten minutes later the train came along and hit the bridge and then jumped off the track and landed back on it and then it jumped about a mile up the track. how can a train jump a mile up the track ? "It was quite an event. All I heard was crash, bang, wallop" But what a picture, what a photograph ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 This is the lorry, although obviously not necessarily the trailer KX13 LHM by Lee Johnson Photo Graphy, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 I know this bridge really well - how on earth he managed to attempt driving down it in a large lorry I don't know. Its obvious as you approach and get onto the bridge that the turn the other side is very narrow and very sharp and totally unsuitable for a large vehicle Yes, we should condemn the driver. If he (or she) has such a lack of awareness that they attempted to try driving over this section of road, despite the evidence in front of their eyes, then clearly they shouldn't hold a license. Agree absolutely - all pretty obvious immediately you turn off the main road and you hardly need a sign to tell you that the road narrows as it does that before even reaching the railway bridge. And at that distance from the junction it is still relatively easy to reverse back onto the A4 (with a Banksman to do it safely). I could make a further comment on what I suspect really happened when he realised his mistake but it would simply be supposition - albeit based on having heard such stories in the past. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Random thought - with circa 10 minutes between the onlooker phoning 999 and the impact occurring (ref RAIB summary) should NR be putting bridge strike contact phone number boards on overbridge parapets as well as on underbridges? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS2968 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I've just realised, Beast, that I'm the only one who's clicked 'Funny' to your comment. Perhaps we're the only ones old enough to remember Tommy Steel. Oh hum...! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 The reference to a sat nav is only a guess by the same witness refered to in posts #5 and #10 above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Also don't condemn the driver out of hand. I'm sure he didn't do it deliberately.As a Truck Driver myself, I long ago came to accept the fact that there will be scant sympathy for us, especially from Railway-minded people, & especially on this Forum. Maybe if the Police had lynched the Driver from the nearest lamp post a.s.a.p, & burned his remains, it might placate the Great Outraged on here...?? oh hang on.... it was dark. Maybe there wasn't a convenient lamp post to string him up from..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted March 11, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 Random thought - with circa 10 minutes between the onlooker phoning 999 and the impact occurring (ref RAIB summary) should NR be putting bridge strike contact phone number boards on overbridge parapets as well as on underbridges? Well not fixed on the actual parapet, obviously. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted March 11, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 The reference to a sat nav is only a guess by the same witness referred to in posts #5 and #10 above. And also my guess in the topic title. Happy to be found wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 it was dark.and that is some kind of excuse? Presumably the lorry had lights and they were actually switched on. In single vehicle accidents it is pretty difficult to shrug off the blame. To drive any vehicle you should be competent, alert and in full control of the vehicle maintained for road use. About the only excuse here would be that the parapet just fell off as I was passing - possibly due to poor maintenance of the parapet potentially made structurally unsound by a different event. Otherwise it is the driver's fault. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted March 11, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 11, 2015 If I was travelling on the train arguing about whether it was the driver's fault would be the least of my worries. Knowing what the railway is doing to prevent it happening again would be my main concern. I think the RAIB adopts the same approach. Anyone travelling on that train had a lucky escape, even if they don't know it. If the first train had been on the other track, the result might have been very different: "Image of debris on track before the collision" Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Well not fixed on the actual parapet, obviously. He didn't manage to take out both of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 and that is some kind of excuse? Presumably the lorry had lights and they were actually switched on. In single vehicle accidents it is pretty difficult to shrug off the blame. To drive any vehicle you should be competent, alert and in full control of the vehicle maintained for road use. About the only excuse here would be that the parapet just fell off as I was passing - possibly due to poor maintenance of the parapet potentially made structurally unsound by a different event. Otherwise it is the driver's fault. I think that what F-unit was suggesting was there was no lamp post for the truck driver to be hung from, seeing as we're all such expert truck drivers on here. Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 As a Truck Driver myself, I long ago came to accept the fact that there will be scant sympathy for us, especially from Railway-minded people, & especially on this Forum.Especially not from me - I have to work with them every day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenceb Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Random thought - with circa 10 minutes between the onlooker phoning 999 and the impact occurring (ref RAIB summary) should NR be putting bridge strike contact phone number boards on overbridge parapets as well as on underbridges? I have seen them on overbridge parapets, one on Burton Station bridge with all the lettering removed by some lowlife. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 and that is some kind of excuse? Presumably the lorry had lights and they were actually switched on. In single vehicle accidents it is pretty difficult to shrug off the blame. To drive any vehicle you should be competent, alert and in full control of the vehicle maintained for road use. About the only excuse here would be that the parapet just fell off as I was passing - possibly due to poor maintenance of the parapet potentially made structurally unsound by a different event. Otherwise it is the driver's fault.Thanks Kenton for totally mis-reading my post in your rush to lynch the driver.... kind of proves the real point of my post Did I actually say it was an excuse? That the driver wasn't to blame?? Of course he was - he got himself into a difficult situation and had the nightmare of making it much worse.... and I bet he isn't driving a Stobart truck anymore, either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modfather Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 It did a fairly small amount of damage to the HST set, both power cars required repairs, and went by road form Bristol to Laira, along with one trailer with a fair amount of underbody damage. The rest of the set was reformed with two power cars, and a couple of little repairs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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