Kintbury incident - c.1991?

[EJF]

Hi all,

I hope you will forgive the rather grim nature of this request for confirmation of a historical incident I believe I witnessed.

Around 1991 (but possibly the year before or after) I was trainspotting at Kintbury station on the Berks & Hants line. As a young boy of maybe 7 years old at the time I have a memory of witnessing a rather unfortunate accident, although my memory of it is not perfect. Here is what I recall:

• I was on the (eastbound?) platform at Kintbury station as a westbound loco-hauled (Class 47?) passenger train came through the station at speed on the Down Westbury line.
• I recall watching as it sped off into the distance towards Hungerford, passing a group of what I assume to be track workers who were on or around the Up Westbury line in the vicinity of an overbridge some 300+ metres away.
• As the train passed them I believe I saw one of the workers appear to move his leg into the path of the train as it was about half-way past the group, and the worker then appeared to fall backwards onto the Up line.
• I do not remember what happened in the immediate aftermath, but some minutes later I had walked to the overbridge (via the Kennet & Avon Canal path) and glimpsed/heard the group of workers now in the cess on the Up side of the line immediately west of the overbridge, with another worker crossing the line at a jogging pace from the Down cess to the Up cess to join them. I remember hearing shouting but do not recall hearing what was said. I do not recall seeing any injured person (although being short I wouldn't have been able to see over the bridge parapet), nor do I recall seeing any emergency services response.

All these years later I recall the imagery quite distinctly, but with the passage of time I am no longer sure in myself whether I did indeed see what I thought I did. If anyone has any information to corroborate my recollection I would be most grateful indeed. I do not need to know details, but am curious to know whether anyone can confirm whether such an incident did indeed take place.

Thanks,
EJF

 

[CatfordCat]

There is an archive of railway accident investigations here.

Nothing remotely resembling this - I suspect that had it been a 'near miss' then it would not have resulted in a formal investigation / report. Not sure whether at that time an injury to one track worker would have either.

 

[edwin_m]

RAIB investigate track worker injuries and even near misses these days (other threads refer), but I suspect the most an injury would have warranted in 1991 would have been an internal and unpublished enquiry by British Rail. There may be an archived paper report somewhere (where did BR's records end up?) or there may have been something in the local press.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

where did BR's records end up?

Largely, at NR's National Records Group archive in York, I believe. However, I think these are mostly the records that NR have a use for, i.e. land deeds, legislation, engineering drawings etc.

I think some of the older records are released to local councils if relevant; the NRM also holds some I believe.

BR didn't have a single archive and all their records were kept regionally, to differing standards, resulting in some areas being better represented in today's archives than others.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It might be worth contacting the Newbury Weekly News ( or whatever it's called these days ) to see if they have anything in their own archives about it?