Derailment at East Somerset Jct (20/03) [RAIB report now released]

[Suraggu]

7Z15 has 7 wagons derailed at east somerset junction.

 

[Zoidberg]

7Z15 has 7 wagons derailed at east somerset junction.

And the RAIB ...

... has deployed to a freight train derailment at East Somerset Junction to start gathering evidence on site .

That from https://mobile.twitter.com/raibgovuk/status/843895210493009922

 

[richw]

A freight train derailed at the same location about 8-9 years ago as well

 

[Scud]

Two of the 7 wagons are on their sides and a set of points destroyed.
Loco 59001.

 

[marky7890]

All GWR HSTS are being diverted via Bristol and Swindon.

 

[bnm]

Train derailed on set of points 943B.

Same location as the derailment in 2008.

No causal link intended or implied.

 

[plymothian]

There will certainly be major disruption to all services through that area for the foreseeable future.

 

[GB]

Map here for anyone interested:

http://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/westbury

 

[SpacePhoenix]

On that map, where are points 943B?

 

[GB]

No idea...

 

[PHILIPE]

All GWR HSTS are being diverted via Bristol and Swindon.

Apart from those which are running via B & H to Westbury, thence via Bristol to Taunton which would not be seeing Swindon.

 

[plymothian]

On that map, where are points 943B?

943B are a set of trap points between 781 and 778.

 

[MarkyT]

A simsig numbering plan showing the track layout in a little more detail (no point numbers though).

https://www.simsig.co.uk/Media/Wiki//usertrack/mans/westbury-signal-number-plan.pdf

 

[fizzwheel]

Link to local news site with a pic ( albeit a bad one )

http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/somerset-trains-no-services-between-castle-cary-and-westbury-on-march-21-after-train-derailment/story-30216770-detail/story.html

Got caught by this on the way home. Got on at Reading and then realised no stop at Castle Cary and the train manager said the train was diverting via Bristol to get to Taunton.

Didnt really have much more info, but TM was as helpful as he could be so phoned Girlfriend to collect me at Westbury and then dropped me at Castle Cary to pick up my car.

Lots of confused faces at Westbury though...

 

[Chris M]

The cause of the 2008 derailment was signaller error due to fatigue (RAIB report) - they failed to set the points correctly. Obviously this does not imply the cause is the same on this occasion.

On that map, where are points 943B?

Figure 2 at the top of page 9 of the RAIB report (link above) is a diagram of the junction with the points and signals labelled. Assuming the track layout hasn't changed since, 943B protect the mainline from trains leaving the branch to the quarry.

 

[AndyPJG]

SimSig extract.

P943 highlighted, A upper and B lower.

 

[Zoidberg]

From the BBC website ... probable 48 hour blockage

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39334158

A freight train carrying stone and ballast which partially derailed, will cause disruption for at least 48 hours between the West country and London.

The train is blocking the line between Castle Cary, Somerset, and Westbury, Wiltshire, following the incident at 17:50 GMT, Network Rail said.

No-one was injured but there has been significant damage to track and equipment.

Services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads are affected.

GWR also confirmed that services to Frome and Bruton were also affected by the incident.

The freight train was pulling 38 wagons, when seven of them partially derailed.

A Network Rail spokesman added: "We are working closely with GWR and South West Trains to put in place contingency plans for tomorrow including diverting London-West of England services via Bristol.

"No injuries have been sustained but there is significant damage to track and equipment.

"The derailment is significant with the line currently blocked and likely to remain out of use for at least the next 48 hours."

 

[cossie4i]

Two wagons are on their sides.

 

[cossie4i]

Crane 13 sent down on a 2Z99

 

[2HAP]

The locomotive wasn't derailed, was it?

 

[cossie4i]

The locomotive wasn't derailed, was it?

No it wasn't

 

[MarkyT]

A new gallery of daylight images here:

https://twitter.com/networkrail/status/844115991403646976

Shows the derailed wagons are in the middle of the train, suggesting points may have moved under the train, unlike the 2008 incident where a signaller, attempting to move traffic during a total signalling systems breakdown, had verbally authorised a movement over an incorrectly set trap point. In that case the two locomotives and first few wagons ended up in the ballast.

 

[bojinov29]

link to NWR tweet ... more pics there.

https://twitter.com/networkrail/status/844115991403646976

 

[HowardGWR]

Try getting from Maiden Newton to Taunton (to select but one example) today. There are some amazing tours of the West Country for pax today, including non-stop journeys through BRI (Temple Meads); now there's a rare opportunity! Pity is, they can't take the SPM avoiding line there, because some far-sighted person allowed a Krispy Kreme and a multiplex cinema to be built across it (near Bristol East Depot).

 

[LordCreed]

Try getting from Maiden Newton to Taunton (to select but one example) today. There are some amazing tours of the West Country for pax today, including non-stop journeys through BRI (Temple Meads); now there's a rare opportunity! Pity is, they can't take the SPM avoiding line there, because some far-sighted person allowed a Krispy Kreme and a multiplex cinema to be built across it (near Bristol East Depot).

I wouldn't say it was a rare opportunity. Due to engineering work between Castle Cary and Taunton, there has been a number of journeys at the weekends that run non stop through Bristol.

 

[G0ORC]

A new gallery of daylight images here:

https://twitter.com/networkrail/status/844115991403646976

Shows the derailed wagons are in the middle of the train, suggesting points may have moved under the train, unlike the 2008 incident where a signaller, attempting to move traffic during a total signalling systems breakdown, had verbally authorised a movement over an incorrectly set trap point. In that case the two locomotives and first few wagons ended up in the ballast.

Pure speculation....

 

[BestWestern]

Pure speculation....

Discussion forum...

 

[Deepgreen]

All GWR HSTS are being diverted via Bristol and Swindon.

Only HSTs?

 

[richw]

Pure speculation....

Discussion forum, uninformed speculation is meant for a place like this. However it's quite clear from photos the points have moved under the train as the rear wagons are going down the other line.

The investigation will look why they moved

 

[Deepgreen]

Of recent derailments, a very large proportion seem to have been freight/engineering workings. Am I alone/wrong in seeing a pattern here - possibly a lack of fitness for purpose of the vehicles or the track (for those vehicles) involved?