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Crossing smash on Wensleydale 3/8/16

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Wearhead

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On the first day of public operation since the January storms, a Wensleydale Railway train has been involved in serious collision with a private car on the Northallerton West section of the line at Yafforth Crossing.

The incident occurred at about 2pm when the three carriage train, pulled by a Class 27 locomotive, collided with a Toyota car on the level crossing about a mile west of the station, between Northallerton West and Scruton. The car was severely damaged, and one person (believed to be the driver) was taken to hospital by air ambulance. No-one on the train was injured.

I can confirm that the train slowed to a crawl as it approached the open crossing, and sounded its horn. Moments later, an emergency brake application was made. From my position in the second carriage, the crossing lights and sirens appeared to be working , and continued for several minutes after the collision.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene, although the road remained closed for several hours.
Passengers were later transferred by coach to Leeming Bar station.
 

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Domh245

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Looks like a VW golf Polo to me. I would guess a RAIB investigation is going to be carried out?
 
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broadgage

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Very sad.
I do however thank the O/P for the brief, prompt, and presumably accurate first hand report.
All too often we get inaccurate press reports from reporters who do not even know the difference between a train and a locomotive, followed by ill-informed speculation.

At least this time we have a first hand factual report and an informative photo.

I am sure that we all hope that the injured person(s) make a good recovery.
 

Wearhead

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Very sad.
I do however thank the O/P for the brief, prompt, and presumably accurate first hand report.
Thanks for that, it was a report I would have preferred not to make, and I hope I never have to do another.
Special thanks must go to the Wensleydale train crew who acted calmly and professionally, keeping us informed and assisting the older folks (me) to de-train down a ladder from the Guards van. A bitter blow on the first day of operation on the Northallerton West section of the line, which remains closed. Trains today (Thursday) are steam-hauled from Leeming Bar to Redmire.
Local reports say a female was taken to hospital with arm and leg injuries. We wish her a speedy recovery.
 

37038

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26007 was involved, minor damage to the side of the loco, a lot of damage to the car and occupant
 

JohnB57

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Trains today (Thursday) are steam-hauled from Leeming Bar to Redmire.
One from today - hope it was a better one for the railway.

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[/URL][/IMG]
 

yorkie

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...All too often we get inaccurate press reports from reporters who do not even know the difference between a train and a locomotive, followed by ill-informed speculation....
Very true, but not always ;)...

http://www.minsterfm.com/news/local...vel-crossing-accident-on-wensleydale-railway/
A woman has been taken to hospital after an accident on a level crossing in North Yorkshire.

It happened at Dolly Lane, Yafforth near Northallerton on a stretch of track operated by the Wensleydale Railway.

Two crews from Northallerton were called to the collision on the level crossing involving a VW Polo and a train.

The woman was trapped in the car. Fire crews have released her using hydraulic cutting equipment and hand tools.

She has been taken to hospital by air ambulance with head and leg injuries.

Wensleydale Railway services on this section of track had just started to serve Northallerton West station again for the 2016 season.

It's reported by a contributor to RailUK forums who said they were on the train that a Class 27 locomotive and three carriages were involved . They also said the crossing lights and warning alarm were operating and the train had slowed down on approach to the crossing as is required.

The railway's website mentioned that steam services had been cancelled today.
Good to see this forum get a mention.
 

theblackwatch

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Thanks for that, it was a report I would have preferred not to make, and I hope I never have to do another.
Special thanks must go to the Wensleydale train crew who acted calmly and professionally, keeping us informed and assisting the older folks (me) to de-train down a ladder from the Guards van.

Certainly not the easiest thing for the crew to deal with. I know a few of the guys up at the Wensleydale, including one of those who was working the train and, as with incidents that occur on the 'big railway', I am sure it is something they will never forget. Operating a heritage railway definitely could not be described as playing trains.
 

duffield

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Does anyone know what the significance is of the fact that the RAIB have decided a full investigation is not required? (I could speculate but it's probably better not to).
 

alexl92

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As an 'outsider', I took that to mean the crossing user was at fault rather than the Railway.
 

PermitToTravel

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They don't investigate incidents from which there are no safety lessons to be learnt.

That obeying the red lights at level crossings is a bloody good idea is something we already know, and don't need an expensive investigation to find out.
 

IanXC

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That obeying the red lights at level crossings is a bloody good idea is something we already know, and don't need an expensive investigation to find out.

Where's that like button got to?

Presumably there will be a Police investigation with a more obvious outcome?
 

Malcmal

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I am surprised nobody remembers this being the location of an EMU hitting a Vauxhall Astra in the 1990's!
 

theblackwatch

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I am surprised nobody remembers this being the location of an EMU hitting a Vauxhall Astra in the 1990's!

I think you may be confused...in the 1990s this was a freight line from Northalerton to Redmire, never one used by EMUs (for a start, it wasn't electrified!).
 

Malcmal

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I think you may be confused...in the 1990s this was a freight line from Northalerton to Redmire, never one used by EMUs (for a start, it wasn't electrified!).

I am fully aware of where this location is - I was there when the car was hit!!! The EMU in question was in Derby RTC livery if I remember correctly.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I just found this picture of the aftermath:

2hrpqpf.jpg
 
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theblackwatch

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I bow to your superior knowledge there! I assume that was some awareness demonstration or something similar then?
 

Malcmal

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I bow to your superior knowledge there! I assume that was some awareness demonstration or something similar then?

I admit to teasing you all with the deliberate lack of information for which I apologise!!

The full details here:

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/byg...g-mock-crash/story-20971645-detail/story.html

Former Derby-based British Rail public affairs manager Neil Johnson, who now lives in Scotland, recalls an appearance on the BBC's Six o'Clock News with a serious safety message.

BACK in September 1994 Neil Johnson found himself standing next to a rail line in Yorkshire watching a train smash into a car on a level crossing.

Thankfully, there were no casualties because the crash had been staged in front of TV crews and press photographers as part of a campaign to warn people of the fatal folly of ignoring level crossing warning lights and barriers.

The exercise was called Operation Zebra and was devised by Railtrack North East after North East Yorkshire and Humberside British Transport Police reported they were catching on average eight drivers a day violating railway level crossing laws......

It struck me how much any pre-Internet event quickly gets lost in the mists of time. The article says 47981 provided the "push start" for this. It was to make a Railtrack safety video called "Red Runner".
 
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Martin66

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It struck me how much any pre-Internet event quickly gets lost in the mists of time. The article says 47981 provided the "push start" for this. It was to make a Railtrack safety video called "Red Runner".

Anyone have a copy of the video?
 

Zoidberg

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For those interested, the RAIB has published its Safety Digest at https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...sion-at-yafforth-level-crossing-3-august-2016

Extract:

This accident illustrates the importance of:

road traffic signals at level crossings being visible and sufficiently conspicuous to draw the attention of approaching road users

replacing 36 Watt incandescent lamps in level crossing road traffic signals with lamps that have a higher level of brightness, such as modern LEDs

infrastructure managers giving careful consideration to the factors which influence user behaviour at level crossings without barriers and the potential value of installing barriers at higher risk locations

appropriate competency management arrangements for staff maintaining safety critical equipment.
 
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