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Blackpool Tramway

2005 runaway incidents

During engineering works in late 2005, trams operated along a single-track section between Gynn Square and Talbot Square as rails on the second line were replaced. A number of incidents involving runaway trams occurred during this period of abnormal operation, three of which were deemed serious enough to be reported to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch:

• On 21 November 2005, Centenary car number 644 was travelling southbound on the single-track section close to Talbot Square tram stop when the tram's throttle controller handle became detached. After attempting and failing to replace the controller handle, the driver attempted to apply the emergency brake to bring the tram to a halt; however, the brakes failed to apply, and the tram eventually rolled to a halt at the bottom of an incline.
• On 3 December 2005, Centenary car number 646 was involved in a runaway incident while the driver was changing cab ends to reverse the tram at the end of the single-track section at Gynn Square tram stop. While the driver was walking through the tram, it began to roll backwards, striking a barrier protecting the entrance to the engineering works before the driver returned to the cab, the emergency brake was applied and the tram came to a halt.
• On 10 December 2005, Centenary car number 646 was again involved in an incident at Gynn Square; after completing the reversing manoeuvre and moving the tram forwards a short distance, the driver attempted to stop the tram to allow a staff member to alight. However, the tram did not respond to normal service brake application. The tram came to a halt after the driver applied the emergency brakes.

Central Trains

• On 26 October 2005, train 1L13, the 08:52 service from Liverpool Lime Street to Ely operated by diesel multiple unit 170 108, struck a group of Carillion subcontracted track workers close to Trafford Park railfreight terminal in Greater Manchester. The track workers had been carrying out a visual inspection of the junction leading from the mainline to the railfreight terminal when they failed to respond to the approaching passenger train. Of the three track workers, one was killed, another suffered minor injuries and the third was uninjured. There were no other injuries.
• On 21 November 2005, train 1T55, the 09:19 service from Birmingham New Street to Nottingham operated by diesel multiple unit 170 117, struck a pedestrian at Barratt Lane No. 1 foot crossing near Attenborough in Nottinghamshire, killing them instantly. The impact threw the body into the path of a Midland Mainline train travelling in the opposite direction, and it was struck for a second time. The weather at the time of the collision was very foggy, with visibility of under 180 metres (200 yd).
• At 10:40 on 3 December 2005, train 1L07, the 10:10 service from Cambridge to Stansted Airport operated by two-car diesel multiple unit 158 856, collided with two girls, aged 13 and 14, at the pedestrian level crossing at Elsenham railway station in Essex at 65.3 miles per hour (105.1 km/h). Both girls were killed instantly. The poor design of the pedestrian crossing was noted as a contributory factor to this incident; Network Rail were subsequently prosecuted and fined £1 million in relation to the incident in 2012. Since the incident, the crossing has been closed and replaced by a footbridge, and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch have conducted a review of all pedestrian crossings at stations in the United Kingdom.

DB Cargo UK

• On 18 October 2005, EWS train 6V19 from Bescot Yard to Margam, hauled by diesel locomotive 66 221, was derailed at Up Hatherley to the south of Cheltenham Spa station; there were no injuries. The train consisted of unpowered locomotive 60 018 followed by seventeen empty wagons. The fourteenth wagon in the set, an SSA type, derailed after the handbrake was left on during the journey, resulting in the development of a flat spot on the wheel which derailed at a set of points.
• On 14 January 2006, EWS spent ballast train 6K03 from Haymarket East Junction to Millerhill Yard, hauled by diesel locomotive 66 195 and operating in a engineering possession close to Edinburgh Waverley station, ran through a set of diamond points that were set incorrectly. The freight train continued for 400 metres (440 yd) into the path of a passenger train heading in the opposite direction on the same line. After stopping their train in the platform at Edinburgh Waverley, the driver of the freight train contacted the signaller to report the incident, who then halted the passenger train a short distance outside the station before redirecting it into another platform. Several hours later, during a routine brake test of the freight train before it could be moved, one of the wagons became detached from the consist, rolled back over the set of points, and derailed.

First ScotRail

• On 2 November 2005, a manually-propelled track trolley carrying six rails and other railway equipment ran away from an engineering possession on the under-construction Argyle Line branch to Larkhall, close to Merryton station. The trolley continued down the incline for several miles, crossing Haughhead Junction back onto the mainline into the path of 2F13, the 06:40 ScotRail service from Coatbridge Central to Motherwell operated by a Class 156 diesel multiple unit. The trolley came to a halt within Barncluith Tunnel, where it activated a track circuit. Subsequently, noticing anomalous track circuit activity, the signaller was able to place train 2F13 under a red signal and prevent a collision with the trolley in the tunnel.
• At 07:02 on 26 November 2005, train 1B08, the 06:48 service from Inverness to Edinburgh Waverley operated by 3-car diesel multiple unit 170 431, derailed after striking a landslide in a cutting on the Highland Main Line near Moy in Inverness-shire, between Inverness and Perth. All wheels of both bogies of the leading carriage were derailed, although the train remained upright. After derailing towards the left hand side of the track facing the direction of travel, the front of the train was involved in a glancing collision with the steelwork supporting a minor underbridge before coming to a stop. Two passengers were hospitalised with more serious injuries and the train driver, conductor and six passengers suffered minor injuries.

First TransPennine Express

• On 4 November 2005, train 1C62, the 12:35 service from Manchester Airport to Windermere operated by diesel multiple unit 175 103 (on loan from Arriva Trains Wales), collided with a landslide which had blocked both lines of the West Coast Main Line close to Oubeck, between Preston and Lancaster. The train struck the landslide debris at approximately 92 miles per hour (148 km/h), derailing the trailing axle of the leading bogie on the leading carriage. After continuing in a derailed state for 1,430 metres (1,560 yd), the train came to a halt in an upright position. None of the 141 passengers on board were directly injured, although one passenger was airlifted to hospital suffering from an angina attack. The landslide occurred following unusually heavy rainfall in the area at the time, destabilising the slope of the cutting.

Freightliner Group

• On 5 January 2006, train 6F95, consisting of diesel locomotive 66 546 and 14 Falcon aggregate wagons travelling from Meldon Quarry in Devon to Hinksey Yard in Oxfordshire, was involved in two incidents in which one of the wagons in the consist damaged the track it was passing over. The first occurred at approximately 16:00 near Urchfont in Wiltshire, in which case one rail was broken; the second occurred at approximately 17:20 near Kennington in Oxfordshire, in which case both rails were broken. The track damage was caused by a severe wheelflat on one of the axles of one of the wagons in the consist, which placed extreme mechanical stress on the tracks, resulting in the failures at Urchfont and Kennington.

Manchester Metrolink

• On 8 November 2005, AnsaldoBreda T-68 tram number 1016 was involved in a near miss with two track workers and subsequent collision with track maintenance equipment near Radcliffe tram stop on the Bury Line between Bury and Manchester. The track workers were replacing worn fishplates along the track around Radcliffe at the time, and they were given inadequate warning of an approaching tram due to a road bridge obscuring their view down the line. The workers managed to move to safety before the tram passed, leaving behind equipment which was struck by the tram and caused minor damage to the tram and track. There were no injuries.

Merseyrail

• On 26 October 2005, train 2W43, the 17:06 Wirral Line service from West Kirby to West Kirby via Liverpool Lime Street operated by electric multiple unit 508 124, derailed in the Liverpool Loop tunnels approximately 200 metres (220 yd) before Liverpool Central station. The train and track suffered minor damage and one person, the train's guard, suffered minor injuries. The derailment was caused by the poor condition of the track, for which a 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) temporary speed restriction was already in place, resulting in the widening of the rail gauge as the train passed over the track.

Midland Mainline

• On 21 November 2005, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a Central Trains service at Barratt Lane No. 1 foot crossing near Attenborough in Nottinghamshire. The initial impact threw the body into the path of train 1B23, the 10:30 Midland Mainline service from Nottingham to London St Pancras operated by a High Speed Train set with locomotive 43 059 leading and 43 081 trailing. The body was struck for a second time by this train. The weather at the time of the collision was very foggy, with visibility of under 180 metres (200 yd).

National Express East Anglia

• On 28 October 2005, a one train formed of four-car electric multiple unit 321 347 derailed in the stabling sidings at Watford Junction station as it was being moved from the sidings into the platforms to operate a branch line service to St Albans Abbey. There were no injuries, but the derailment resulted in disruption to services through Watford Junction throughout the day, and minor damage to the track and train. The derailment was caused by an error with the ground frame system which resulted in the points shifting underneath the train as the second bogie of the second vehicle passed over them.
• On 13 November 2005, train 1G33, the 13:00 one service from Norwich to Diss operated by diesel multiple unit 170 207, collided with a car at Swainsthorpe level crossing in Norfolk at approximately 77 miles per hour (124 km/h). There were 15 passengers on board the train at the time of the collision. The car driver was killed; there were no injuries on board the train, which did not derail. The car was destroyed by the impact, and subsequently caught fire as it was pushed 375 metres (410 yd) along the track under the front of the train. The front of the train was severely damaged, suffering fire damage to the exterior and electrics. The fire brigade attended and extinguished the fire before it could spread to the passenger compartment of the train.

Northern Rail (Serco-Abellio)

• At around 17:30 on 8 January 2006, train 2C13, the 17:17 service from York to Leeds via Harrogate operated by three-car diesel multiple unit 144 014, collided with a 41-year-old cyclist at Scate Moor bridleway foot crossing at around 45 miles per hour (72 km/h). The cyclist suffered serious injuries, subsequently having one leg amputated below the mid-thigh. The train did not stop after the collision as the driver was unaware of its occurrence; the cyclist failed to remember the time period between approaching the crossing and being struck by the train, suggesting they may have blacked out while crossing the tracks and were subsequently struck by the train.

Sheffield Supertram

• On 27 October 2005, Siemens-Duewag Supertram number 112, travelling on the Yellow Route between Middlewood and Meadowhall Interchange, collided at about 26 miles per hour (42 km/h) with a pedestrian crossing the tram tracks at the Staniforth Road level crossing following Woodbourn Road tram stop. The pedestrian suffered serious injuries. None of the 20 passengers on board the tram were injured. The design and positioning of the fencing separating the footpath and cycleway from the tram tracks was cited as a contributory cause, reducing visibility of approaching trams from the foot crossing.

South West Trains

• At around 06:30 on 25 November 2005, train 1A12, the 05:44 service from Alton to London Waterloo operated by four-car electric multiple unit 450 022, passed two signals at danger between Esher and Hampton Court Junction due to low rail adhesion conditions, coming to a stop underneath the rail flyover at Hampton Court Junction. There was no collision with any other trains, although train 1A12 came within 200 metres (220 yd) of colliding with train 2F08, a service from Woking to London Waterloo. The low rail adhesion was caused by autumnal leaf fall onto the tracks, which had built up on the railhead overnight as the number of trains running over the tracks was lower.

Southern (Govia Thameslink Railway)

• At 19:07 on 30 November 2005, train 2D45, the 18:54 service from Brighton to Hastings operated by four-car electric multiple unit 377 456, passed a signal at danger at the end of platform 3 at Lewes while attempting to stop at this station. Train 2D45 was subsequently involved in a near miss with train 2F21, the 19:07 service from Lewes to Seaford, which was departing from platform 5 at Lewes at the time; the driver of train 2F21 performed an emergency brake application prior to reaching the point of conflict with train 2D45, preventing a collision from occurring by about 30 metres (33 yd). The cause of the SPAD by train 2D45 was low rail adhesion conditions caused by autumnal leaf fall onto the railhead.

Thameslink (train operating company 1997–2006)

• On 12 January 2006, train 9W11, the 02:40 service from Bedford to Brighton operated by two Class 319 electric multiple units (319 004 leading 319 432), failed to stop as scheduled at Haywards Heath station after experiencing braking difficulties, overrunning the platforms entirely by four carriage lengths. The train then suffered further braking difficulties while attempting to reverse back into the station, and the train was subsequently terminated at Haywards Heath. The partial brakes failure was later found to have been caused by a loose washer, the origin of which could not be determined, entering the drumswitch of unit 319 004, creating a short circuit which interfered with the operation of the electrical braking systems.

Tramlink

• On 21 October 2005, Bombardier CR4000 tram number 2530 was derailed at around 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) at a set of points on the approach to Phipps Bridge tram stop while travelling eastbound on the single track section of line between Wimbledon and Croydon. The derailment occurred due to the tram driver failing to acknowledge warning signals that the points were set incorrectly for the tram's direction of travel. There were 45 passengers on board the tram at the time, and there were no injuries.
• On 23 November 2005, CR4000 tram number 2533 collided with another CR4000 tram, number 2538, close to New Addington tram stop in heavy fog, reducing visibility to around 70 metres (77 yd). Tram 2538 passed a signal protecting the start of the single-track section into New Addington at danger, coming to a stop foul of the points on the entry to the single-track section and both running lines emerging from these points. Subsequently, tram 2538, travelling in the opposite direction, suffered a glancing collision with the front and side of tram 2533 at 26.1 kilometres per hour (16.2 mph). Neither tram derailed, however both trams suffered severe damage from the collision. Two passengers suffered minor injuries.

West Anglia Great Northern

• On 19 October 2005, train 1T05, the 10:45 service from London King's Cross to King's Lynn operated by electric multiple unit 365 531, collided with a John Deere tractor at Black Horse Drove level crossing near Littleport in Cambridgeshire at around 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). The tractor was destroyed in the collision and the tractor driver was killed. The train suffered minor damage and the train driver and one passenger suffered minor injuries.