Train and van crossing crash closes line in Cornwall

[michael74]

Reported last night, thankfully no injuries both drivers reported to be "shaken up".

A train and a delivery van have crashed closing a railway line in Cornwall.

The train was travelling between Gunnislake and Plymouth when the crash happened at an open level crossing in Calstock at 16:00 GMT.

The two drivers are said to be "shaken up" but no-one has been injured.

National Rail Enquiries said mini buses are operating between Plymouth and Gunnislake and disruption is expected for the rest of the day.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-46557886

Devon Live reports it as the van hitting the barriers.... (the usual standard of reporting from the Live group of papers....)

 

[edwin_m]

Isn't this one of the crossings with no barriers or lights whatsoever, where the train driver has to stop and give a blast on the horn?

 

[michael74]

Isn't this one of the crossings with no barriers or lights whatsoever, where the train driver has to stop and give a blast on the horn?

Yes. Obviously I can't pre-judge any investigation, but I suspect we can hazard a guess at the outcome as it was a parcel delivery van involved, no doubt with a driver under pressure to deliver on time

 

[JBuchananGB]

Per google streetview, no lights no barriers, just a "Give Way" sign, as if it was a road junction.

 

[leezer3]

I know this crossing well. (Grew up a few miles away)

Definitely no barriers or lights, and the train stops and blasts the horn as noted above.

Most likely direction IMHO for the van is from the Gunnislake road, visibility that way isn't brilliant, and it's relatively straight so people tank along sometimes.
Unlikely to have been coming from Calstock or St. Anne's Chapel, as both of those paralell the railway and you have very decent views......

 

[Busaholic]

I know this crossing well. (Grew up a few miles away)

Definitely no barriers or lights, and the train stops and blasts the horn as noted above.

Most likely direction IMHO for the van is from the Gunnislake road, visibility that way isn't brilliant, and it's relatively straight so people tank along sometimes.
Unlikely to have been coming from Calstock or St. Anne's Chapel, as both of those paralell the railway and you have very decent views......

I wasn't in that part of Cornwall yesterday, but I can say that further west the weather was grey, with intermittent rain, and at the reported time of the accident (approx 16.00) it would have been not so far off dark. At least this was not a 'fatal', unlike one in Penzance involving a DPD van and a pedestrian about two years ago.

 

[TJDevon]

From the picture that I have seen it doesn't look like much damage was caused to the unit (150/2?). GWR can ill afford to have another unit out of use - I am assuming that the one that hit a tree a few weeks ago is still OOU?

 

[Antman]

Yes. Obviously I can't pre-judge any investigation, but I suspect we can hazard a guess at the outcome as it was a parcel delivery van involved, no doubt with a driver under pressure to deliver on time

You can't make assumptions like that, I've worked for DPD in the past and drivers are under no particular pressure, no more so than any other job, and certainly wouldn't be expected to take risks. Obviously you can't legislate for the actions of individual drivers and possible human error.

 

[PHILIPE]

From the picture that I have seen it doesn't look like much damage was caused to the unit (150/2?). GWR can ill afford to have another unit out of use - I am assuming that the one that hit a tree a few weeks ago is still OOU?

150216

 

[michael74]

You can't make assumptions like that, I've worked for DPD in the past and drivers are under no particular pressure, no more so than any other job, and certainly wouldn't be expected to take risks. Obviously you can't legislate for the actions of individual drivers and possible human error.

Ok, in fairness to that particular driver, you may be correct, but are you seriously saying that some courier drivers are not under pressure to deliver on time, working longer hours when tired because a lot are on zero hour contracts? That's not what I have read in the news and certainly not my own personal experience when I did some agency work a while ago.

 

[irish_rail]

That crossing is misused on a daily basis, the trouble is the train is required to stop before it and as a result 9 out of 10 motorists assume we are letting them pass so just cRoss in front of the train. Drivers don't generally even report near misses here as they are so ridiculously common. We have been asking for a change for trains to slow down to say 5 mph on approach rather than having to come to a stand but network rail consistently say no that there way is safer.......

 

[Antman]

Ok, in fairness to that particular driver, you may be correct, but are you seriously saying that some courier drivers are not under pressure to deliver on time, working longer hours when tired because a lot are on zero hour contracts? That's not what I have read in the news and certainly not my own personal experience when I did some agency work a while ago.

Probably no more so than in any other job and it's been mentioned that misuse of this crossing happens regularly.

Is there any reason why lights haven't been installed there?

 

[Shell]

Is there any reason why lights haven't been installed there?

Drivers don't generally even report near misses here as they are so ridiculously common.

I think these two might have something to do with each other.

 

[irish_rail]

I think these two might have something to do with each other.

Well we were reporting until we got fed up of nothing being done. Changing the rules to slowing to 5mph rather than stopping wouldn't cost a penny and could be implemented over night.

 

[leezer3]

I think a good part of it is also that the crossing is at the end of a not especially well used branch.

The last major money spent down here was the relocation of the Gunnislake station across the road (10 years? Something like that), and I can't see there being much if any budget for 'nice to haves' as opposed to safety essentials.
I'm sure Network Rail have a wonderful risk assesment for this crossing.....

 

[PHILIPE]

From the picture that I have seen it doesn't look like much damage was caused to the unit (150/2?). GWR can ill afford to have another unit out of use - I am assuming that the one that hit a tree a few weeks ago is still OOU?

150216, which was the unit involved, currently working attached to 158763 on 2C56 1437 Penzance to Bristol TM

 

[Sean Emmett]

Well we were reporting until we got fed up of nothing being done. Changing the rules to slowing to 5mph rather than stopping wouldn't cost a penny and could be implemented over night.

That crossing is misused on a daily basis, the trouble is the train is required to stop before it and as a result 9 out of 10 motorists assume we are letting them pass so just cRoss in front of the train. Drivers don't generally even report near misses here as they are so ridiculously common. We have been asking for a change for trains to slow down to say 5 mph on approach rather than having to come to a stand but network rail consistently say no that there way is safer.......

Indeed.

Hendy Crossing, approx 1 mile South of Caernarfon on the Welsh Highland Rly, used to be 'Stop & Proceed' when the line (re-) opened in 1997 but was changed to a 5 mph PSR after a few years for precisely this reason - the train stopped, car drivers assumed it was giving way then pulled on to the crossing just as train was getting going again. Change was made with HMRI (?) approval.

OK its a narrow gauge tourist railway, but those 62 ton Garratts are no toys.

Interesting to see result of any inquiry.