Bookham Tunnel - Track Workers Near-Miss

[Deepgreen]

I haven't seen this elsewhere, but please merge if I have missed it. BBC News is reporting that a near-miss with track workers in Bookham tunnel, Surrey is to be investigated.

Near miss with train workers at Bookham Tunnel to be investigated

The government investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry.

www.bbc.co.uk

A near miss involving three track workers and a passenger train in Surrey is to be investigated by the government.
At around 11:44 BST on 29 April, a train operated by South Western Railway was involved in the incident at Bookham Tunnel.
Upon hearing the approaching train, two of the track workers entered refuges built into the tunnel walls, while the third worker leant against the tunnel wall as the train passed.
The workers, who were not hurt, had been walking back to Bookham station after completing work on the telephones located at either end of the tunnel.
A line blockage had been arranged with the signaller to stop trains from running through the tunnel, but it was later discovered that this had been arranged for the nearby Mickleham Tunnel and did not cover Bookham Tunnel.

Two things strike me - the almost unbelievable claimed confusion between Mickleham and Bookham tunnels, and the fact that the tunnel refuges did at least provide their intended escape (for some at least).

 

[Mag_seven]

Thanks for bringing our attention to this. We will invite comments as soon as the RAIB issue a report. Meanwhile, this is the current status (with thanks to @John Webb for providing the link):

Near miss with track workers at Bookham Tunnel

Investigation into a near miss between a passenger train and a team of track workers at Bookham Tunnel, Surrey, 29 April 2025.

www.gov.uk

At around 11:44 on 29 April 2025, a train operated by South Western Railways, which was travelling at around 30 mph (48 km/h), was involved in a near miss with a team of three track workers within Bookham Tunnel in Surrey.

The track workers involved were walking back to Bookham station through the tunnel at the time of the near miss, having previously completed work on the telephones located at either end. On hearing the approaching train, two of the track workers entered refuges built into the tunnel walls, while the third worker leant against the tunnel wall as the train passed them. No one was injured in the incident, and no damage was caused.

A line blockage had been arranged by the team with the signaller before the incident occurred. This was intended to stop trains from running through the tunnel. It was later discovered that this line blockage had been arranged for the nearby Mickleham Tunnel, and that it did not cover Bookham Tunnel.

Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to the incident. It will also consider:

• the actions of those involved and the factors that may have influenced them
• the way in which the work was planned and how the risks associated with being on or near a railway line were being managed
• the roles, responsibilities and working patterns of relevant staff
• any underlying management factors.