Another RHDR Accident

[colinjamesporter]

I know this is a stupid idea but couldn't they get a grant to build bridges in the places of the level crossings as im sure the government would help because of all the accidents.
thanks colin

[jbilton]

The crossing in question is open with a totally unobstructed view across the shingle flatlands of Dungeness. You can see the train coming from well over a mile away.

The the location of the crossing is only about a mile or so from the terminus at Dungeness, which can be seen from the crossing, it is on a rising gradient from the station therefore there is no way the train would be travelling anywhere near 25 MPH I doubt if it would have been doing 12 - 15 MPH at that point.

Dick.

Hi
I don't know the area .....but this photo doesn't sound like your description.



It looks like on the edge of a built up area, and looks like the train driver wouldn't see the car until the last minute.
I'm not particularly looking for an arguement agaisnt the pro train lobby, but the faith in stronger sentences for jumping red lights just is not a viable, if desirable option.
Reading reports else where the ammount of reported near misses by drivers is quite frightening.
There are a lot of companies these days that take near misses very seriously,not just thinking phew got away with that culture.
Cheers
Jon

[jonhewes]

I am very saddened to hear about this further accident. An absolute tragedy. I am going to be (hopefully) visiting the railway over my birthday weekend, it looks amazing.

It is disgusting that two engine drivers have lost their lives over the past year due to such thoughtlessness and carelessness on the part of the car driver.

I can just imagine, 20 yr old boy racer in a Vectra..... "Oooh I'm not waiting".... so he kills someone instead.

Scum.

[davvydo]

I tell you what the woman driver who killed a train driver, she was banneds from being at the wheel for a year and recieved a £500 fine, that typical sunday driver should have been done for manslaughter, death by dangerous driving etc.

whay are people so stupid when they get behind a wheel and they dither at the traffic lights when they go green but instead of that, they think red means GO and hits a train, if people are colour blind and cannot see the lights flashing, they should not be allowed to drive.


even the idiots are not colour blind, the 2003 driver put her child at risk as well.



I saw a picture of Hercules all restored after the crash, looks gorge !
I hope this loco is OK, hurricane isnt it ?

[terryshan]

heres a very good bit of advice for motorists,also it a law that all motorists should know when approaching any level crossing gated or unmanned,your speed when approaching,did you know that legally you have to stop and get out and see if its safe even if it is not flashing red signals for train on line
go down to the west somerset railway at minehead where theres butlins,i go quite a bit ,well watch the idiotic morons of car drivers there racing across the line when the barriers are coming down
dont blame the railways for the stupidity of the minority of mental brainless car drivers.in America and other countries theres thousands of unmanned crossings and they have been in operation for years,they dont scream everytime theres an accident,do away with crossings, they are safe as long as drivers obey the rules.you also have to remember that this dungeoness line is open planned most of its journey no fences or barriers so any one can walk across it or walk along its route. and most locals do know when trains are due,its the visitors that dont.i lived at lydd on sea in the 50/60,s when the appledore to dungeoness/lydd branch line trains ran as well as this small railway, very few accidents happened and this line had no barriers or fences either,it is only since so many cars are on the road these modern times that these accidents occur whereas speed and oh lets beat the train and race the barriers comes into play .well lets remember that it costs lives.remember the train crossing words stop look and listen, i still do

[MuzTrem]

What if the trains pushed 2 ballasted trucks in front.
These would then hopefully push any obstacles off the tracks and the train would hopefully stay on the rails.

As a railway enthusiast, Jbilton, I would have thought you would appreciate that putting wagons on the front of a Romney train would be equivalent to Flying Scotsman running tender first at 75mph. They would cause far more derailments than they save.
And they're not necessary! It only needs drivers to obey simple instructions. Drivers caught being so utterly moronic should just be banned from driving for life on the spot. It would make Britain a far safer place. The tabloids may hype up every occasional rail disater, but people die on the roads everyday.

[beresford]

I'm afraid that in this country irresponsible motoring is not taken seriously. There is an assumption that driving a vehicle is a human right. How many accidents do you hear of where the offender is ALREADY banned from driving and the response is just a fine and another motoring ban? Look at the fuss that is made when preventing speeding is attempted.

Generally motorists should have to take a periodic retest the same as for PSV and HGV holders, and private cars should be fitted with speed governors. Specifically in a case such as at the RHDR, the offender should do prison time for manslaughter and should be banned from driving for life.

[JSR86]

As a member of staff at the RHDR who knew the engine driver for a number of years and also knowing that other members of staff who knew her use this forum, the attitude of certain members on this forum is discraceful (I wont name names but they know who they are) and if they dont know anything on the subject and area should stay out of it. I know that it is only a mionority and that most members are sympathetic in thier comments.

Sorry to start with a bit of a moan but I needed to get that out the way first before I said something which I would later regret.

ALL of the staff at the romney are devestated at the loss of another member of the romney family.

There seem to be a few points raised on this forum that I think I may be able to answer.
1 Trains DO slow down on the approach to level crossings often to well below the posted speed limt for that crossing which is well below the max line speed of 25 mph.
2 trains give sevral loud blasts of the whistle (or horn) to warn of thier approach to the crossing.
3 ALL public road crossings have Amber lights that flash warning of the approach of a train even before the Red warning lights start to flash.
for traffic on the road.
4 All of the above metioned crossings have white lights aka DWLs ( Drivers Waring Lights) for the train driver which only flash when the road lights are working the driver will only proceed accross the crossing if he/she sees the lights flashing (if the DWLs do not flash the driver will stop and proceed)


Finally for those that would like to know a book of condolence has now been opened at New Romney station.

and by the way if anyone out there is in any doubt RED LIGHTS MEAN STOP!!!!!

[Nvincer]

ALL of the staff at the romney are devestated at the loss of another member of the romney family.

I think regular visitors have also been touched about the loss of another driver - I know I have been.

Finally for those that would like to know a book of condolence has now been opened at New Romney station.

I'll have a look for that if I decide to go up on Friday

and by the way if anyone out there is in any doubt RED LIGHTS MEAN STOP!!!!!

Exactally, the sooner people learn that the better!

Bubble

[codrivermike]

The same type of flashing red lights, (which has been pointed out means stop by law) are found outside fire stations. Now they do not have gates or barriers yet their meaning is still more than obvious.
Anyone passing flashing red lights (which are always preceeded by a steady amber for quite a few seconds) is guilty of the most gross neglect or blatent disrgard for safety.

[timbgray64]

As a member of staff at the RHDR who knew the engine driver for a number of years and also knowing that other members of staff who knew her use this forum, the attitude of certain members on this forum is discraceful (I wont name names but they know who they are) and if they dont know anything on the subject and area should stay out of it. I know that it is only a mionority and that most members are sympathetic in thier comments.

Well said James

[jamiebowey87]

Indeed the loss of life should always be regreted, and peolple should remain sensetive to all those concerned. Imagine if it were one of your friends of family members?

Perhaps one soloution to reckless driving would be the installation of unpopular police camaras on the level crossings, similar to the millions in use around London to catch unscupulous drivers who jump red lights. For the sake of a £60 fine and points, Im sure the vast majority would patiently wait for the train to go by, not to mention gaining the satisfaction of knowing they're a safe and responsible driver.

[JSR86]

Perhaps one soloution to reckless driving would be the installation of unpopular police camaras on the level crossings, similar to the millions in use around London to catch unscupulous drivers who jump red lights.

Burmarsh Road LC has had a camera simmilar to the ones you describe fitted to the crossing since the 2003 crash and it starts to recorrd as the lights turn on. It has record sevral jumpers and also one of those granny scooters not stopping for the lights.

[JSR86]

ALL of the staff at the romney are devestated at the loss of another member of the romney family.

I think regular visitors have also been touched about the loss of another driver - I know I have been.

Finally for those that would like to know a book of condolence has now been opened at New Romney station.

I'll have a look for that if I decide to go up on Friday

Sorry of course I should have metioned the regular visitors that have expressed there sadness at the loss of Suzanne there has been a large number of them.
Nvincer If you do come down to romney on Friday please come and say hello, I am working in the visitor centre selling tickets and it would be nice to put faces to names.

Also a full service will be in operation tomorrow using the Green hourly service timetable. This does include the Dungeness road which re-opened to public trains this morning.

[Nvincer]

Nvincer If you do come down to romney on Friday please come and say hello, I am working in the visitor centre selling tickets and it would be nice to put faces to names.

Also a full service will be in operation tomorrow using the Green hourly service timetable. This does include the Dungeness road which re-opened to public trains this morning.

James, you have a PM. Thanks for the info by the way.

Bubble