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Collision Plymouth 03/04/16

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PHILIPE

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NRE say the usual "Emergency Services dealing with an incident". Info from Yahoo Group that 150219+150249 on 2E68 1339 Plymouth to Exeter St Davids have run into rear of HST 1542 Plymouth to Paddington in Platform 6. No further details at the moment.
 
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christopher

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Two trains have crashed at a Devon railway station this afternoon.

The collision happened at around 3.40pm at Plymouth station on platform six.

There are nine casualties, but nobody is reported trapped.

Fire crews are assisting ambulance personnel with casualty care.

The incident remains ongoing.

More to follow.

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/BREAKING-9-casualties-trains-crash-Devon-rail/story-29043346-detail/story.html
 

PHILIPE

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Understand 9 casualties including DMU Driver but nobody trapped.
 
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Philip Phlopp

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Repeat of Newton Abbot 1994.

Hope all are OK.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Injuries - not deaths I hope? :(

I'd be shocked if there were, the damage to the HST looks much worse than it really is. Their cabs are really flimsy. The Sprinter has stopped when it hit the drawbar hidden underneath the fibreglass and plywood nose section.
 

GRALISTAIR

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I'd be shocked if there were, the damage to the HST looks much worse than it really is. Their cabs are really flimsy. The Sprinter has stopped when it hit the drawbar hidden underneath the fibreglass and plywood nose section.

So like an ABS bumper on a car - designed to crumple and absorb energy to reduce likelihood of injury?
 

rebmcr

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So like an ABS bumper on a car - designed to crumple and absorb energy to reduce likelihood of injury?

No, modern trains have crumple zones but this bit on the HST power cars is just a non-structural cosmetic fairing, that will have been brushed aside like a wet paper bag.
 

bnm

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14 casualties reported locally. 12 walking wounded moved to a holding area for assessment, with driver and one passenger treated at the scene.

Unconfirmed report that the HST was shunted some 4 feet which would suggest a bit more than 'low speed' collision.

Also a 4 car unit and a HST wouldn't fit on Platform 6 at Plymouth which is something that will probably be key in the investigation.
 
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Saint66

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http://media.btp.police.uk/r/12680/statement_on_train_collision_at_plymouth_railway_

BTP press release:

Statement on train collision at Plymouth railway station
A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "At 15.35 today, Sunday, 3 April, we were called to Plymouth railway station following reports that two passenger trains had been involved in a low speed collision at the station.

"Our officers are currently at the station, alongside colleagues from South Western Ambulance Service, Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

“A number of people, including the driver of one of the trains, have sustained injuries as a result of the collision and are being treated by paramedics at the scene.

“At this stage we believe that a moving train collided into the back of a stationary train on platform 6 at the station and we are currently looking into the circumstances to determine how this happened.

“The incident is likely to result in delays to passengers travelling through the Plymouth area. Please check before with National Rail Enquiries before you travel.”

For the latest news, updates and insight, follow BTP on Twitter: @BTP.

British Transport Police is the specialist, national police service for Britain’s railways. BTP deals with major and minor crime, disorder and incidents, and covers the rail system in England, Wales and Scotland, including London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, the Glasgow Subway and the Midland Metro and Croydon Tramlink systems. Its 2,972 police officers, 323 Police Community Support Officers, 247 Special Constables and 1,533 support staff are recruited and trained like those of local forces and have the same powers. Find out more at www.btp.police.uk]
 

najaB

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Unconfirmed report that the HST was shunted some 4 feet which would suggest a bit more than 'low speed' collision.
Not sure if the physics works for that - at a guess a Sprinter weighs about a quarter as much as the HST so it would have to be going quite fast indeed to move it any distance, unless the HST didn't have it's brakes on?
 

ainsworth74

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If we could avoid wild speculation as it isn't really going to help anyone.
 

bluenoxid

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We've got the numbers, the train services and the pictures. Surely speculation is the only thing left until the initial reports are published by the press and RAIB?:)

How tight is the GWR fleet? Considering that these trains could be out of service for some time.
 

bnm

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If we could avoid wild speculation as it isn't really going to help anyone.

I was deliberately careful with my language. "Unconfirmed" and "suggest".

Info came from a rail staff member at the scene.
 
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AlanFry1

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20+ injured now being reported on sky and BBC. Wonder how something like this could happen...
 

gavin

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It would seem likely that the Sprinter was expecting an empty platform to stop in, so I would imagine it would have been going about 20-30mph on entering the platform, followed by the collision after emergency braking at about 10-15mph. I'm not an expert but that seems consistent with the damage in the photo, especially considering the Cannon Street buffer crash was around that speed.

(Obviously this is just an estimate and assumes an alert driver and conditions otherwise normal; a RAIB report would be needed to say anything for certain).

A passenger on board has said they were going 'fairly slowly'

Dominic Parnell, from Cornwall, was on board the moving train when it collided with the one in front.

He said: "We were travelling fairly slowly as we were arriving at the platform when we came to a sudden stop with a huge bang.

"Of course, most people were stood up waiting to alight and were thrown forward. No one appeared to be injured in my immediate area.

http://news.sky.com/story/1672025/nine-hurt-after-trains-collide-at-station
 

bluenoxid

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I was deliberately careful with my language. "Unconfirmed" and "suggest".

Coming from a rail staff member at the scene.
The forum moderators are trying to do a very fine balancing act of free discussion and not prejudicing any cases/annoying a lot of people who have to investigate/deal with the consequences of this?

It could lead to rules that are almost impossible to implement with the current timetable putting further pressure on staff who are doing their best against already testing circumstances.
 

bnm

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Latest on the injuries:

3 heavily injured
5 walking wounded
10 minor injuries

Driver is one of the walking wounded.

RAIB expected on site at 1930. Both trains suffered extensive front end damage although neither derailed.
 

richw

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Low speed doesn't define a speed, BNM saying it was a bit more than low speed is down to perception, to me 30mph is low speed to someone else 10mph is low speed
What can be said is it hit with some force for a light weight unit to push a hst at least the gap we see between them in the photo.
 

Saint66

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Latest from Ambulance (Retweeted by BTP):

12 vehicles sent to the scene- the 1st one arrived in 3 mins, 18 casualties treated, most walking wounded, 8 going to hospital. All stable.
 

najaB

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I was deliberately careful with my language. "Unconfirmed" and "suggest".
I hope you don't think I was trying to accuse you of speculating. I was only saying that four feet was quite a bit of movement, and it may well have moved less than that not that it didn't move at all. Just based on the fact that a HST weighs about 400 tonnes and a Sprinter about 80.

Some of the gap that we see is likely due to the rebound of the Sprinter.
 
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bnm

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Platform 6 at Plymouth cannot accommodate a HST and 4 car sprinter. However, permissive signalling rules require drivers to drive at a speed that allows them to stop short of any obstruction.
 
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richw

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Double Sprinter in this case. And momentum, dependent on speed, to be considered.

i won't post the speed to avoid giving as fact but using physics formulas it can be calculated how fast a 160t object was travelling to push a 800t object 4ft, but it isn't very fast at all, add in any other factors such a slippery rails and could be even slower.
 

rebmcr

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Platform 6 at Plymouth cannot accommodate a HST and 4 car sprinter.

Are there currently any blocked lines in the station throat as a result? Presumably the vehicles are staying put until RAIB arrive?
 
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