CrossCountry train 'splits in two' near Bristol Temple Meads
 

A train carrying more than 200 passengers "split in two" shortly after departing from a station, it has emerged.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-37839189

The CrossCountry service was leaving Bristol Temple Meads when the front car separated from the rest of the carriages, the operator said.

It reportedly came to rest 14ft (4m) away.

A CrossCountry spokesman said 209 people were taken off the train, which was moved back into the station.

He said Monday's 13:30 service to Glasgow was travelling at "low speed" and the "onboard safety systems stopped the train immediately".

"At this stage there is nothing to suggest a similar problem is likely to occur on any other train of this type," he said.

An investigation has been launched.

I have never heard of this happening before. Pleased nobody hurt.

It will be interesting to read the report.

I was on the Ffestiniog narrow gauge railway years ago (late 80s) from Porthmadog and the loco became uncoupled from the train !

The coaches stopped, and the loco carried on. We waited quite a while for the loco to come back.:)

Apparent cause of the breakaway.

"Apparently after a recent examination the buckeye was replaced. The split pin which stops the castellated nut on the shank of the buckeye undoing was not replaced. Over the next couple of days the nut unwound and the buckeye pulled out of its housing. The nut was found on the top of the bogie frame."

Found on another forum that had 9 pages on this one topic.;)

Sounds like something that would happen in the movies or a comic book. Glad it wasn't on a slope and that the emergency brake worked correctly.

Must be a Class 220 Voyager that had a dodgy coupler.