Whittlesey - collision between freight train and tractor. (19/08/21)

[DBS92042]

Is there enough capacity for today's and tomorrow's container trains to run via London?
As we know logistics and supply chains are extremely stretched right now (hence Nandos running out of chicken). A two day delay to some container movements could result [temporarily] in more empty shelves in the supermarkets!

A couple of GBRF intermodals have already been diverted via the WCML this afternoon

 

[Wyrleybart]

Good to hear that there doesn't appear to be any serious injury.
Such collisions at crossings rarely end well.
Hope everyone is fully insured!

but to be fair, with neither party apparently needing hospital treatment, I wouldsa that is a prety good outcome. You can always repair metal stuff, but undamaged humans has to be good.

 

[snowball]

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire has some video from the scene





from the video in the tweet I think it's the crossing here (no streetview)

It appears to be a public road to the south side of the line. Streetview works if you approach from that side and has been posted in #24.

 

[MCSHF007]

Hopefully the tractor driver (or his/her employer) will be liable for for the full costs arising from this.

 

[alxndr]

It appears to be a public road to the south side of the line. Streetview works if you approach from that side and has been posted in #24.

That's not the same crossing. The crossing where this occurred is to the west and can just be seen in the distance of the streetview link in #24 (or at least the farm buildings to the north of the railway and the pylon and barn to the south can be seen). The pylon and barn can be seen in the BBC Cambridgeshire video linked in #25, directly in line with the crossing. These can also be seen on the Google satellite view at this link.

 

[eastdyke]

That's not the same crossing. The crossing where this occurred is to the west and can just be seen in the distance of the streetview link in #24 (or at least the farm buildings to the north of the railway and the pylon and barn to the south can be seen). The pylon and barn can be seen in the BBC Cambridgeshire video linked in #25, directly in line with the crossing. These can also be seen on the Google satellite view at this link.

Indeed. I posted the picture from the ABC site at #13 and linked to more pictures via an updated ITV News report in #26. The incident site is seen in the distance in the News report [look for the pile of hay]. The News report has since been further updated and now includes a shot taken from near the pile of hay. As you would expect long lenses have been used for the pictures up/down the line.

The roads on both sides of the line at the incident crossing [Kisby UWC (T)] appear to be private. The crossing shown in #24, is as you say, not the same crossing - that is Middle Drove UWC (R/G).
[Oddly the Sectional Appendix does not annotate either crossing as UWC]

 

[WestRiding]

I do sincerely hope it wasn't a error on the Signallers part. If it wasn't, no doubt the railway will find an out of place weed or twig to get the farmer off any charges, and blame themselves.

 

[Callmo]

This is a very quiet user worked crossing, on one side is a farm building with a bungalow next to it and the other from memory is fields!

What confuses me is that the visibility is excellent there, it is on a completely straight section of track and the weather was good yesterday. I don’t see how the tractor driver didn’t see the train approaching.

 

[WestRiding]

This is a very quiet user worked crossing, on one side is a farm building with a bungalow next to it and the other from memory is fields!

What confuses me is that the visibility is excellent there, it is on a completely straight section of track and the weather was good yesterday. I don’t see how the tractor driver didn’t see the train approaching.

But the crossing user, the farmer in this case, is still required to ask for permission to cross, hence me hoping it is not the Signallers fault. If the farmer, never asked for permission, it is the farmers fault entirely. It should not matter how far down the line you can see.

 

[trebor79]

This is a very quiet user worked crossing, on one side is a farm building with a bungalow next to it and the other from memory is fields!

What confuses me is that the visibility is excellent there, it is on a completely straight section of track and the weather was good yesterday. I don’t see how the tractor driver didn’t see the train approaching.

Without casting nasturtiums...
I work with a lot of farmers. They employ very casual labour to help with harvest. Some of these people are, how shall we say, not particularly bright.
The piles of straw suggests this trailer was moving bales off a field. Almost certainly casual labour and they're notorious for all sorts of stupidity, such as managing to tip the whole lot on its side going round corners, forgetting or not bothering to strap them down etc.

 

[43096]

Without casting nasturtiums...
I work with a lot of farmers. They employ very casual labour to help with harvest. Some of these people are, how shall we say, not particularly bright.
The piles of straw suggests this trailer was moving bales off a field. Almost certainly casual labour and they're notorious for all sorts of stupidity, such as managing to tip the whole lot on its side going round corners, forgetting or not bothering to strap them down etc.

Perhaps the HSE needs to investigate such operations to check that the farmer - who is an employer and has responsibilities under the Health And Safety At Work Acts - has undertaken proper risk assessments on crossing use and has trained staff driving over the crossing on how they should be used safely.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Some photos of the damage (not mine, from Twitter account @IanHardie9018)

 

[Grumpy Git]

Makes you wonder if the tractor driver thought the train would "give way"?

Two seconds sooner for the 66 and it could have been a lot worse outcome for both drivers!

 

[24Grange]

Without casting nasturtiums...
I work with a lot of farmers. They employ very casual labour to help with harvest. Some of these people are, how shall we say, not particularly bright.
The piles of straw suggests this trailer was moving bales off a field. Almost certainly casual labour and they're notorious for all sorts of stupidity, such as managing to tip the whole lot on its side going round corners, forgetting or not bothering to strap them down etc.

I can concur with this. Once followed a tractor and trailer going very fast down usual Devon narrow road ( big bank either side)
Loaded with massive big circular bales ( like a mini sized car each). It started off with about 12-14 bales stacked. As they were going so fast on corners 1 bale wriggled and fell off, bouncing off the bank ( or over it). We tooted and waved - still kept going, all the bales eventually landed one at a time in the road or bank. it only stopped when the tractor stopped at the gate to a field at their destination to open it and found an empty trailer !! Funny but could have caused and accident and injuries. Not the brightest lightbulb I'm sure, also probably trying to do the job as fast as possible.

 

[55002]

In one respect, good job it was a 66 and not a passenger train..

 

[G Broughton]

I think your comments regarding, in this case tractor drivers, are totally unfair. Have you seen the controls in the cab of a modern tractor, you have to be pretty bright to work one of these
Yes, there is a lot of casual labour but there are also farms in my area where workers have been there for 30+ years.

 

[Dieseldriver]

In one respect, good job it was a 66 and not a passenger train..

Definitely agree. If it’s true that a loco axle also derailed, I dread to think what could have happened if it were a lightweight unit. Even just from the Train Drivers perspective, I would much prefer to be in the crumple zone of a 66 than a 170 in this kind of incident.

 

[Inthewest]

Hopefully the tractor driver (or his/her employer) will be liable for for the full costs arising from this.

Hopefully?

While it may be an open and closed case, you realise this will run into the millions of pounds?
I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone who isn't in the top 100 rich list.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Hopefully?

While it may be an open and closed case, you realise this will run into the millions of pounds?
I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone who isn't in the top 100 rich list.

Isn't that why vehicle insurance is mandatory?

 

[kennythelad]

Few more pics.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Those three tynes on the front of the self-loading trailer could have made a rather nasty mess on another day!!!

 

[Ianno87]

That's..... a heck of a lot of hay to pick up!

 

[Grumpy Git]

That's..... a heck of a lot of hay to pick up!

Pedant alert - that "hay" is straw.

 

[Ianno87]

Pedant alert - that "hay" is straw.

Hay! That's a Straw Man argument

 

[HSP 2]

just seen the photo in the cab thank god that it was hay (straw) and not bricks.

When will people get it in there heads that level crossings are not a thing that's just there for fun.

Most of the drivers that will "run" a crossing would not do the same with a red light.

Just glad that the loco driver is OK.

 

[High Dyke]

Pedant alert - that "hay" is straw.

Hay! That's a Straw Man argument

Are you straw? It looks like hay to me.

 

[G Broughton]

Definitely straw ! Hay cutting finished a few weeks ago.

 

[trebor79]

Yup definitely straw. Looks like barley straw to me (but hard to tell from a photo)

 

[JMH77]

As much as this is a regrettable incident and I am glad there were no serious injuries I am enjoying the additional intermodal traffic passing my work near Huntingdon at the moment.

 

[Hadleywood]

I used to sign the line. High time they sorted that crossing.