Incident involving Penzance bound HST

[Ricardo]

Just pulled into Westbury (at 20:10) on my way home from holiday to see an HST set with severe damaged to it's down powercar being shunted into the yard by a 59.
Could anyone shed any light on this?
Hope that the driver is ok too, as I can only assume it happened at speed in the proximity of Westbury.

Cheers

Richard

[250787]

The HST power car hit a tree on the line.

[ArrivaTrains]

Pictures here.....

(removed by moderator)

[ashgray]

Hi ArrivaTrains

I've deleted your link as it contravenes section 2a of the forum code of conduct. Never mind the loco - that can be repaired, but from what I saw, let's just hope the poor driver is OK, eh?

Ash

[ArrivaTrains]

Huh?

since when did that link to a photopic site violate this??

2a) Messages that are potentially libellous, obscene, vulgar, sexually orientated, racist, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violate any law are not permitted. Please be aware that posts that contravene these guidelines may result in personal legal repercussions for individual members, for which Atomic Systems cannot take responsibility. Linking to other sites that contain or lead to such content is also not permitted. Videos or screenshots, from any simulator, which show train crashes or derailments are also not permitted to be posted either as messages on the UKTS forums or direct links to other sites.

[danielw2599]

Sorry but this is poor moderating at best and I would have expected better!

Never mind the loco - that can be repaired, but from what I saw, let's just hope the poor driver is OK, eh?

Stange, you deleted the link but still willing to comment on the pictures.

[Ricardo]

I think Ash has every right to take the link down, as having searched for the pictures on google and seeing them, I can say they are very worrying, and the only hope I have is that the driver was ok. I very much doubt that any of the passengers would have wondered if they were ok.

Richard

[dorlan]

I've read elsewhere that the driver escaped with cuts and scratches.

Videos or screenshots, from any simulator, which show train crashes or derailments are also not permitted to be posted either as messages on the UKTS forums or direct links to other sites.

Although not explicitly mentioned in the guidelines, but for the same reasons that simulator images aren't allowed, it's not our policy to allow images of 'real life' incidents, or links to such images, to be posted on the forums. They may also be seen as insensitive and could offend members who may have lost friends or relatives in similar circumstances.

"Real life" incidents are covered by this section of our guidelines.

[g0fthick]

Glad to hear the driver sustained no serious injuries, the cab's an absolute mess.

Do we know how the tree came to make contact?

[steve74]

I heard it had fallen across the track, backed up by the picture on the Railway Centre's front page.

[yorkie]

A lucky escape for the fast-acting driver!

Some newspapers exaggerated the story, claiming the train was doing "more than 120mph" but the linespeed in the area is around 90mph. (The Berks & Hants does not exceed 110mph; the only time you do 125mph on a train to Penzance via this route is between London & Reading).

A Google search for 'fgw hst hits tree' reveals all.

[Kromaatikse]

Surprisingly, the RAIB have made no mention of it on their site.

[phill70]

I would assume that the RAIB would not mention anything about it until they have finished the investigation, and the subsequent report.

[yorkie]

I would assume that the RAIB would not mention anything about it until they have finished the investigation, and the subsequent report.

I can't see why that would be the case. Every other incident that is being investigated is listed under 'Current Investigations', as far as I know. Perhaps the site hasn't been updated yet.

[Kromaatikse]

I would expect them (based on previous experience, eg. the winter braking problems) to perform a preliminary investigation - taking a few days at most - and thus to be able to report the most obvious facts and their decision on whether to conduct a full investigation or leave it with the preliminaries. I'm very surprised to not even have a preliminary report on an incident where tragedy was only narrowly averted and significant railway property damage occurred.