West coast line derailment.

[pre65]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16867053

[bramleyman]

Guaranteed that tonight on Anglia News, this will get a Good coverage, as they do from that area 7 days a week.

Hope the driver involved is Not too badly hurt.

[Madcaravanner]

Quite a few photo's on Facebook from Bletchley from a good railway photographer the loco is still upright a least but there's wagons off as well as some severe damage to track

It's going to be quite a while before trains run properly through there

[pre65]

More news.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16878118

[brylliant60]

just wondering why 1 loco(no wagons according to NR) derailing shuts down a 4-track railway for 24 hours? Fast and slow lines paired,and quite well seperated here-would have thought they could have cleared the slow lines in a bit less than 24 hours.Let me guess-the complexity of the modern railway I suppose. Perhaps someone could explain the problems?

[Madcaravanner]

Originally Posted by brylliant60

just wondering why 1 loco(no wagons according to NR) derailing shuts down a 4-track railway for 24 hours? Fast and slow lines paired,and quite well seperated here-would have thought they could have cleared the slow lines in a bit less than 24 hours.Let me guess-the complexity of the modern railway I suppose. Perhaps someone could explain the problems?

IF you can find
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater then in the foreground you can see seriously distorted tracks and the loco appears to be on a crossing take a peek but also I am also confused as she was Light Engine but there are photo's of the train of cement wagons also derailed

[Silver Fox Phil]

"The Freightliner locomotive appeared to have approached a set of points at high speed, a Network Rail spokesman said.
He said that this caused the tracks to buckle, damaged wooden sleepers and brought down some overhead cables.
"You are meant to approach points at a relatively low speed," the spokesman said. "But it looks like that move was taken at a high speed and, as a result, the train has derailed."

Not quite sure how to read this statement from a Network Rail Spokesman on the BBC? Would there have been warning signs, speed limitations or signalling if this were the case? If so does this imply the driver was at fault? Can anyone shed some light on this please.
Many thanks
Regards
Phil

[pre65]

Originally Posted by Madcaravanner

IF you can find
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater then in the foreground you can see seriously distorted tracks and the loco appears to be on a crossing take a peek but also I am also confused as she was Light Engine but there are photo's of the train of cement wagons also derailed

I read the loco was on hire to Virgin, so unlikely to be hauling freight ?

[Madcaravanner]

Originally Posted by pre65

I read the loco was on hire to Virgin, so unlikely to be hauling freight ?

The loco was going to haul the Pretendalino ECS but obviously now isn't
there are reports of it a Wembley a few hours later it was re-railed without a crane and moved pretty quickly out of the way and apparently the trackwork has already been repaired

[Flying Pig]

Originally Posted by Silver Fox Phil

Not quite sure how to read this statement from a Network Rail Spokesman on the BBC? Would there have been warning signs, speed limitations or signalling if this were the case? If so does this imply the driver was at fault? Can anyone shed some light on this please.
Many thanks
Regards
Phil

Yes there would have been Permanent Speed Restriction boards, and possibly there may have been Approach Released signalling. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has already issued an initial statement. They say.....

Originally Posted by "RAIB

The RAIB’s preliminary examination found that the derailment occurred because the locomotive was driven significantly faster than the permitted speed over the junction. This resulted in its wheel flanges climbing over the outer rail of a curve just before it would have reached the up fast line.

No evidence has been found that the condition of the track played a part in causing the derailment.

So it looks like the driver dropped a large bollard, unfortunately. He may have become temporarily disorientated or distracted. We've all been there and got the tee shirt, and most of us have got away with it. For this driver the runes were cast against him.

I've only driven a 90 once, but I'm told they accelerate like a rocket when they're running light-engine. This driver may have got the speed down on the approach, and then opened up to 50 mph again before realising where he was going.

We'll find out in time.