R2OK!

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

A Virgin train has derailed and slid down an embankment in Cumbria.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6391633.stm

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

Oh dear

I hope nobody is seriously injured, or worse.

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

It was one of Virgin Pendolino trains which go around 125mph, but over recent years have been asked to reduce their speeds.

http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/virgin/

I can read the headlines should trains go fast blah, blah? Shocked

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

It dosen't sound too good to be honest Sad

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Julia · Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:27 pm Post subject:

I'm regularly on that line (using that strech as well) - usually use GNER rather than Virgin

I hope no one is seriously hurt - it's terrible... I feel even more shocked because I'm a regular 'customer'
Virgin have always been pants mind you

Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:54 am Post subject:

One elderly lady was killed in the incident, according to the news this morning. Seems the rescue crews had one hell of a job trying to reach the scene of the derailment - narrow lanes, waterlogged fields, etc.

It's amazing there weren't many more casualties.
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mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

These Pendolino trains are built to with stand accidents and it's amazing how the carriages were all in tact. They reckon it could be points failure which also was the cause of the potters bar crash in hatfield.

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

I was watching Richard Branson being interviewed for about 10 minutes by the press, you wouldn't get many bosses doing this? He said 'that he was on holiday in the alpes when he received 10 messages, and knew that something was up and flew back to the crash scene. He praised the injured driver and said 'it's a day of not being angry and blame anyone'.

The network rail boss was interviewed and did say 'that if it was failure on their part he might have to go.

Highlander · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 348 Location: Scotland

I think we should be grateful that the robust design of the new coaches may have help reduce casualties.

Several air-sea rescue helicopters from all over the UK had to be used to get people out during the first few hours. There certainly appears to be an air of openness from the rail track operator.

Lessons may have actually been learned from previous disasters.
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Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject:

Julia · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:12 pm Post subject:

some came from Barrow in Furnace
don't know if it was the ambulance or fire engines

Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 7:15 pm Post subject:

Julia · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:01 pm Post subject:

maybe Walney Island helped too - but it's not part of Barrow, it's separate

I'm sure I read that the Barrow firebrigade or ambulances were used as well

Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:29 pm Post subject:

Julia · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:19 pm Post subject:

from the centre of Barrow it's way further than that
and Walney is an island - not quite the same place... as boring and dull I admit, but not the same place

pedantic must one be Wink

Ella Sailyour · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 579 Location: Marbella, Spain

AndyAndy2

Ella Sailyour · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 579 Location: Marbella, Spain

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

If Mark didn't start topics or post links there would not be many threads in this section, I can't see what the problem is.
As it happens I didn't know anything about this accident until I read it on here.

Cherskiy · Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:07 pm Post subject:

Yep, and mention of another incident involving a train hitting a car on a level crossing in Wales on the news this morning.... reminiscent of the incident my cousin's boyfriend was involved in the other week (a second 17-year old in the car that hit his train died in hospital a week ago last Wednesday).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6394109.stm
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(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

Ella Sailyour · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 579 Location: Marbella, Spain

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Ella,

Mark's posting has 23 replies and 118 views. So he has made a successful discussion.

Ella, I notice you rarely make a discussion but just get folk whinging back at you. You find it hard to contribute here, so try harder, think before you post Wink

Highlander · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 348 Location: Scotland

There was also a level crossing crash in Ayrshire on Friday morning where unfortunately the van driver was killed. Probably did not get national coverage because it happened before the Friday evening crash.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6393359.stm
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Ella Sailyour · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 579 Location: Marbella, Spain

Highlander · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 348 Location: Scotland

Do you mean "North Bucks Poster enjoys the attention brought about by annoying other posters".

Each to his/hers I guess............. Cool

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Over the hill they came....the greatest Army in the World.....The Tartan Army

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

I cut and paste topics and usually add my comments below which I have and explained the design of these new trains. It did lead me to post another link about them, but I am interested in them and I thought it would be best to post a link so people can read in their leisure about them and about the story.

I think the BBC websites are quite informed to post links across here and I don't post every single news link.

Instead of arguing Ella, about whether I should or shouldn't post links maybe you could say 'well that was a bad accident, network rail need to sort things out to stop this happening again'... blah blah or something along those lines? ( excuse the pun ) Wink

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Well said Mark. Your postings are certainly more interesting than Ella's. So if Ella thinks yours are poor then his are poorer Laughing

I saw a clip on TV of railway points with a tent partly round them. I'm just guessing but dodgy pounts normally get ripped apart in high speed crashes, those looked very intact, unless they were ones further down the line being examined.

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

It seems like a miracle that there weren't more people killed or injured, I heard that the driver probably saved a lot of lives with his actions.
I wish the injured a speedy recovery, condolences to the family of the lady who was not so lucky. Sad

Cherskiy · Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:52 pm Post subject:

Seems the points in question were last inspected only a couple of weeks ago, according to the boss of Network Rail, John Armit. Does anyone else think that having separate companies running maintenance (but subcontracting work out) and operating rolling stock is a recipe for disaster?

NR subcontract work out to the likes of Balfour Beatty and Jarvis. One of NR's directors was once finance director of BB - which got slapped for H&S shortcomings re the Heathrow Tunnel collapse and the Rivenhall rail disaster - they were fined £1.2M for the former, the largest H&S fine levied up to that time. Armit himself chaired Costain who didn't exactly have a good H&S record - remember the gantry at the Avonmouth bridge that fell, killing four workmen?

The present arrangement may suit New Labour policy, but it's slowly killing the UK railway system.
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Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

Mindda · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 37

I do not post often here, but do read a good deal of the board.

I do so hate the sort of posts which come over as sarcastic and snidey - indeed, downright nasty - and they do put people off contributing. They are unnecessary and unkind. Please let's do without them here, or you will lose more possible contriutors again. People may not post as you or I would, or word things as you or I would, but a little tolerance of the other ways people do things and fewer unpleasant responses might not come amiss. Smile

Behind Geddon's Wall · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:04 am Post subject:

The main and fortunate thing is the the loss of life was not greater, although the injuries are known to be serious. For example, one person needing neurosurgery and the driver needing to be in hospital for at least a month.

Is it that the design of carriages is now safer? I ask the question because there used to be an issue with safety.
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For I am the Rider to the World's End
Bound across the cinder causeway
From the furnace to the quarry
Through the fields of oil

AndyAndy2 · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:06 am Post subject:

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

I wouldn't like to speculate to much, but the bolts could have come away whilst the bogies were going over the points? Or they wern't put in right or not at all? The initial report is due today..

SantaFefan · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:02 pm Post subject:

The pin was pulled on British Railways back in the 60's.

Top quality British workforce and products; all to the same British standards. The best in the world by far, all mutilated to save money.

Everybody knew their job and woe betide anybody who got it wrong with the yard or gang foreman.
People worked hard on a regular basis and needed the money to support their families. Job for life, that counted for something.

From the programmes and information we see now of the shoddy workmanship and "here one minute and there the next" sub contracting workforces, I'd be nervous of travelling at that speed over today's trackage.

Why do we have to travel so fast anyway in this postage stamp sized country of ours??

Ella Sailyour · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 579 Location: Marbella, Spain

Cherskiy · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:04 pm Post subject:

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

The bar and bolts could be under the carriages? It would conclude that they were either not fixed correctly, or just broke when the bogies went over due to wear and tear? Remember the country has had some bad weather over recent months. I wonder what time the previous train went over the same piece of track which could have broken it?