[Beeyar Wunby]

Wow, that's dreadful.

We seem to be receiving a picture of an incredibly sloppy setup. Of all the countries in Europe I wouldn't expect the Germans to be the lax ones.

It's inconceivable that in the 21st century a signalling system can allow 2 trains make a conflicting move onto a single line - even/especially with human intervention trying to override the inbuilt safety features. You just can't do that here for obvious reasons.

I still feel that one piece of the jigsaw puzzle is missing. It just doesn't quite ring true.

The thing that really bothers me here is the override signal that the German controller operated. We have 'override' signals here (POSAs), which authorise a driver to pass a signal at danger without having to speak to the signaller, but they shouldn't be located where a conflicting move can occur. A single line is THE number 1 conflict risk - so much so that we can't be authorised to pass a signal at danger that protects a single line. Instead working with a pilotman must be introduced.

And anyway if a driver moves under the authority of a POSA, it carries the same requirements of "Proceed with caution, be prepared to stop short of any obstruction and drive at a speed where you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear". Which in the UK usually means about 15 mph. The media is still reporting that both trains were doing considerably more. Surely one of them should have been crawling along ?

It's all very odd.

And mobile phones are a total nono here in the UK. ASLEF has mounted a campaign of its own to warn drivers that using a mobile phone in the leading cab of a moving train is a sackable offence and they can not defend a driver who has done so.

On the railway, mobile phones should not be used whilst performing any safety critical role.