Incident at Birchwood 11Feb17

[Cheshire Rover]

Reports on local media that an incident has occurred at Birchwood with rail services affected.
No confirmation from reliable sources but people on Facebook offering condolences.

Edit - Fatality confirmed.
http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/15086474.Police_urge_people_to_avoid_Birchwood_Station_after_person_killed_by_train/

POLICE are urging people to avoid Birchwood Railway Station after reports that a person has been killed after being hit by a train.

The incident happened at around 3.06pm.

British Transport Police and paramedics were called to the scene, where the individual was pronounced dead.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

A British Transport Police spokesman said a file is being prepared for the coroner.

There are currently delays to trains in the area, with some services being terminated before their destination.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Reports on local media that an incident has occurred at Birchwood with rail services affected.
No confirmation from reliable sources but people on Facebook offering condolences.

Edit - Fatality confirmed.
http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/15086474.Police_urge_people_to_avoid_Birchwood_Station_after_person_killed_by_train/

Do we need to be informed about these (unfortunate) issues ?

 

[BestWestern]

Do we need to be informed about these (unfortunate) issues ?

I don't see why the unfortunate nature of such occurrences makes them of any less interest than other types of operational incident?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I don't see why the unfortunate nature of such occurrences makes them of any less interest than other types of operational incident?

No point commenting .....

 

[BestWestern]

No point commenting .....

I understand where you're coming from, but regardless of how sad it may be, it is still part of the everyday tapestry of the operational railway. Rather a significant part, regretfully.

Also worth noting that OP didn't have confirmation of what is was to begin with, merely 'an incident'. The fatality update was a later edit.

 

[LowLevel]

It seems that this one demolished the driver's windscreen, put the driver in hospital and trashed the cab.

Oh wait, sorry for getting emotional about it, he's only a colleague.

 

[Ash Bridge]

It seems that this one demolished the driver's windscreen, put the driver in hospital and trashed the cab.

Oh wait, sorry for getting emotional about it, he's only a colleague.

What an horrendous sounding incident, my thoughts go out to your colleague, I sincerely hope he makes a full recovery.

 

[rebmcr]

I don't see why the unfortunate nature of such occurrences makes them of any less interest than other types of operational incident?

As they are of a sensitive nature, and happen often enough, I agree with ChiefPlanner in that I just don't see the value in having a thread for half of them at random that someone decides to post about.

I just can't identify any reason for threads like this (unless the incidents involve significant knock-on disruption) other than crass rubbernecking.

 

[BestWestern]

As they are of a sensitive nature, and happen often enough, I agree with ChiefPlanner in that I just don't see the value in having a thread for half of them at random that someone decides to post about.

I just can't identify any reason for threads like this (unless the incidents involve significant knock-on disruption) other than crass rubbernecking.

The comments above underline one reason; sometimes events are not of a 'standard' nature and may warrant discussion beyond just the statement that a fatality happened. Any 'out of course' event which takes place is potentially of note to those with an interest in the day-to-day operation of the railway. A fatality is no more or less noteworthy than a train failure or the OHLE coming down or anything else.

What I would say is that if such matters offend, the best course of action is simply not to read the thread. I gather you've contacted the news outlet in the opening post and expressed your feelings that they shouldn't have reported the matter?

 

[185143]

What an horrendous sounding incident, my thoughts go out to your colleague, I sincerely hope he makes a full recovery.

Agreed, that sounds truly horrific!

 

[IanXC]

The comments above underline one reason; sometimes events are not of a 'standard' nature and may warrant discussion beyond just the statement that a fatality happened. Any 'out of course' event which takes place is potentially of note to those with an interest in the day-to-day operation of the railway.

Agreed. While this wasn't necessarily clear at the outset, the information we have now suggests there will be matters to discuss. The forum doesn't aim to replicate National Rail Enquiries and list every item of disruption, but where there are incidents which have such points to discuss it may often be appropriate to post a thread.

I would like to add, however that discussion of a particular incident should cover the method of operation used on the service in question at the time. For instance comment about what a guard did, rather than what may have happened had they not been present. Anyone wishing to discuss DOO in the case of a specific instance, not covered by an existing DOO thread, may wish to contact myself or another member of the staff team by PM in the first instance.

 

[CosherB]

Thoughts with all those involved.

 

[XC90]

Do we need to be informed about these (unfortunate) issues ?

Yes.

Thread was started as an incident. Glad it was updated when the reasons for the incident became known.

 

[Starmill]

Members who'd prefer there weren't such threads can surely just avoid them? This sounds like a particularly shocking and difficult incident for all involved, and very sad. Not that any such incident is a pleasant or tolerable event.

I don't know the details, or how many of these types of incidents are affected by the poor victims mental health states, but I do increasingly wonder if we haven't been overlooking a serious problem with the way we treat our own minds in modern society.