Train crash between Andover & Salisbury

[GrahamB]

Latest reports are, the first train derailed.
The computer on board the second train reports both the driver and the AWS hit the brakes and the train slid past the red lights 150 yards into the back of the other.

The RAIB report is quite clear, 1F30 (The front train) derailed AFTER being struck by 1L53 (The rear train). 1L53 passed SY31 at danger (SPAD). So the focus is now on 1L53 and why it didn't stop.

[davidinyork]

That report makes it pretty clear that the cause was poor adhesion - which is always a problem at this time of year.

[guest311]

so, at long last [tongue in cheek, it's less than a week] we have a detailed and informed report of what happened, although obviously much still to be investigated.

I wonder how many of the so called reporters are now regretting their flights of fancy used to fill their slots on TV news.

the trouble is, if they said the simple facts as known, in this case , ie two trains collided and some casualties, it would surely be better, though not so exiting, than adding piles of conjecture with no basis.

ie no serious casualties turns out be several minor casualties plus one life changing.
trains running on parallel lines turns out to utter tosh, etc.

no wonder so many people simply ignore anything they hear on the news on tv these days.

[guest311]

That report makes it pretty clear that the cause was poor adhesion - which is always a problem at this time of year.

Who you going to call ?

LEAF BUSTERS !!

[GrahamB]

That report makes it pretty clear that the cause was poor adhesion - which is always a problem at this time of year.

Who you going to call ?

LEAF BUSTERS !!

Otherwise known as the RHTT (Rail Head Treatment Train) They run all over the place at this time of year.

[davidinyork]

Otherwise known as the RHTT (Rail Head Treatment Train) They run all over the place at this time of year.

Getting progressively more filthy,until by the end of the season they are mostly a uniform brown (they unsurprisingly tend to leave the same locos on them if they can).

In addition to blasting the rails with high-pressure water jets, they also deposit sandite (a sticky paste containing sand, antifreeze and steel, designed to help with adhesion).

[njee20]

I note the RHTT was scheduled to pass through Salisbury at 19.36, having been through previously at midday on the 30th.

[zwilnik]

Interesting vid of them trying to recover the 159 with 59003. Pretty much through brute force.

I suspect the track under the 59 is going to be a bit funny shaped after that.


https://youtu.be/BsHXWUMsLdM

[njee20]

It's incredible they even tried that. The ramifications of the cable snapping, or the attachment point coming off would be horrendous for any of the workers in the immediate vicinity. I guess the track was already a mess; but now 59003 will need its wheels sorting too I'd guess!

[guest311]

I assume 'elf 'n safety were not there that day.

[zwilnik]

It's incredible they even tried that. The ramifications of the cable snapping, or the attachment point coming off would be horrendous for any of the workers in the immediate vicinity. I guess the track was already a mess; but now 59003 will need its wheels sorting too I'd guess!

That's what I thought. I'm not a professional railway engineer or anything, but when I watched that video I saw all sorts of red flags for things that could go horribly wrong. Not to mention it just didn't look like it would have any chance of working anyway. The angles and obvious points of friction are all wrong.

[RailGooner]

Out with the torches - cut it up!

[guest311]

don't know how it would work under those circumstances, but when I was in the RAF we had a system for a/c that had crash landed where [IIRC] tracked low platforms were pushed under the wings, and air bags inflated to lift the fuselage off the ground so they could be towed off the runway / grass etc.

surely it would have been possible to jack and slew the carriages across to either the other track, or to position recovery kit under the carriage, perhaps after removal of the bogies ?

mind you, I suppose we should be glad they didn't try two locos and a kinetic recovery rope  :'(

when I did my winching training it was always impressed on us that the cable / strop whatever could fail, or attachment points, and the absolute necessity to maintain a clear area where the cable could reach if it failed at the furthest end from the winch, or at the winch.

it made me cringe to see the guy at the rear of the loco watching the attempt, I'd imagine that if something had gone, he'd have ended up cut in half.

was there no trained supervisor on site

[emjaybee]

I don't think I've ever seen anything so ridiculous.

No visible tow 'rope' restraint, waaaaay too many people floating around, I mean, seriously? I somehow doubt anymore than four people needed to be anywhere near that operation.

If you're going to try tugging in out, why on earth wouldn't you jack it off the wall a bit to reduce contact/resistance?

What's next? Giving it a 'poke' from behind?

Words fail me.

[guest311]

assuming that as everyone seemed to be filming this idiocy, including a BTP officer, I'd guess that by now there should be some very intensive discussions going on by multiple agencies as to how this actually happened, and hopefully heads will roll, though hopefully not from a broken tow wire.

if this is an example of the 'professionalism' of the recovery team, I'm amazed there are not more accidents.