Following publication of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report today (Tuesday 30 January) into an incident on the South Devon Railway (SDR) on 22 June 2017 involving a young boy, his mother and a missing floor in a closed train toilet cubicle, the South Devon Railway Trust, a registered charity, has responded to the RAIB’s findings and recommendations.
An SDR spokesman said:
“The South Devon Railway accepts that safety on a moving train was badly compromised on this isolated occasion and which could have resulted in serious injury to a female passenger and her young son.
“We regret that this incident took place and apologised at the time, and do so again now, to the lady and the family involved for the trauma which they suffered.
“As we have stated from the outset, something clearly went wrong as evidenced by the incident having taken place – it simply should not have happened.
“Since then, we have been working closely with the RAIB and the Office of Rail & Road (ORR) in their investigation.
“As a result, the South Devon Railway has fully satisfied the requirements of the ORR’s Improvement Notice.
“We have certainly learned lessons from this regrettable incident, and acted quickly to make the necessary improvements required by both the RAIB and ORR.
In view of the ongoing ORR investigation you will no doubt appreciate that it would not be appropriate for the South Devon Railway Trust to comment further at this time.”
Statement ends