What happens to passengers/belongings after a rail accident?

[devon_belle]

Apologies for the question subject and I hope it does not upset anyone. I am wondering what happens to passengers involved in a rail accident. If they are evacuated along the tracks and do not require hospital treatment, is onward transport provided? Is compensation claimed in the normal fashion?

What about personal belongings? If these are left on the train, how does the person get them back? Does the train become a crime scene? I imagine that when passengers evacuate in a hurry (as they should) some important personal items could be left behind. I guess that it might be case-by-case, but I can definitely envisage situations where a passenger would lose their keys, phone and money, for example. Is there insurance on articles within a train that would be paid out if it was destroyed (a very 21st century question, I know!), and does liability/culpability for the accident come into these matters?

Obviously the crucial thing is that everyone is safe and hopefully unharmed, but I figure that at some point the more trivial aspects need to be dealt with. Nothing in particular brings this mind - just interested to hear what people in the know have to say.

 

[Surreytraveller]

They would be collected by the British Transport Police with the intention of them being reunited with their owners

As you say, the area will be treated as a crime scene. In the last, this has actually hindered proper investigation when overzealous police officers have refused access to perishable evidence such as brake temperature and air pressure

 

[Gloster]

I have read of BR making emergency payments for things such as locksmiths fees, overnight necessities (toothpaste, etc.) or even arranging medicines. I would presume that nowadays either the TOC or Network Rail would make such arrangements and sort out who pays later.

 

[james_the_xv]

I have read of BR making emergency payments for things such as locksmiths fees, overnight necessities (toothpaste, etc.) or even arranging medicines. I would presume that nowadays either the TOC or Network Rail would make such arrangements and sort out who pays later.

I would presume the TOC would be the one who, in the first instance, foots the bill for any expenses in incurred by passengers in this situation, to then claim from NR/Insurers depending on fault.

 

[dub]

I would presume the TOC would be the one who, in the first instance, foots the bill for any expenses in incurred by passengers in this situation, to then claim from NR/Insurers depending on fault.

There are specialist volunteers across the industry part of Rail Incident Care Teams who can pay for the items and services needed by those unfortunately caught up in a serious railway incident. They might work for the TOC involved or not they're not there to represent any particular company but just to be there to support the people involved. There's some (probably out of date) info here: https://assets.publishing.service.g...ment_data/file/60882/cat2-responders-rail.pdf

 

[Horizon22]

They would be collected by the British Transport Police with the intention of them being reunited with their owners

As you say, the area will be treated as a crime scene. In the last, this has actually hindered proper investigation when overzealous police officers have refused access to perishable evidence such as brake temperature and air pressure

Normally the Fire Brigade are actually in charge of the scene from a rescue and recovery perspective and take the lead over the emergency services on scene.

 

[devon_belle]

Thanks all, that is interesting to know.

 

[lordbusiness]

As a crime scene, responsibility for personal effects initially sits with BTP for evidential and DVI purposes, once BTP are complete and it is no longer a crime scene then responsibilty reverts to the TOC.
Processing and returning any personal effects or property after a significant accident is a specialist job, the ramifications of getting it wrong are significant and well beyond the capabilities of most TOCs. I would personally not even go there and get a specialist company like Kenyon International in to do it.
Things have come a long way, I attended a conference a few years ago where the guest speaker was a lady who had lost her son in the Southall accident. She spoke about her experiences and how it affected and still affects her life. What really horrified me was when she related how her sons PEs were returned some weeks after the accident- by two Policemen turning up unannounced at her front door and handing over a clear plastic bag on her doorstep with 'Body No5' written in marker pen on it.
You can imagine what it did to her.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

Back in the mid-1980s, I rented a room in a house that belonged to a chap that had been on the train involved in the Hixon accident in 1968. I'm not sure how badly hurt he was physically, if at all. He said that payments from the insurance company were still coming through to him in small dribs and drabs, getting on for 20 years after the event.

 

[Mojo]

Normally the Fire Brigade are actually in charge of the scene from a rescue and recovery perspective and take the lead over the emergency services on scene.

A key distinction that is often missed is that whilst the fire brigade are responsible for site safety, and all other category 1 responders (such as police and ambulance) and category 2 responders (such as railway and utilities) will go through their Incident Commander, they are only responsible for the rescue and not the recovery. This is why the fire brigade turn up for person under train incidents, but once the casualty is pronounced deceased (or injuries incompatible with life) they will often depart.

 

[notverydeep]

In the late 1980s I travelled on a rail tour (45051 if I recall) that was signalled past, wrong line, one of the overnight Scotland to Euston trains that conveyed covered Motor-rail vans (NXA version of the standard General Utility Vans). The last vehicle, one of these had derailed hitting a catenary post with some damage, but not enough to cause the cars inside to be majorly affected. One of the cars was visibly a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. Months later I saw the same van dumped in a siding at Rugby, with the three cars still clearly inside!

Wouldn’t happen now of course, the line would have been closed for weeks with no chance of trains passing on the adjacent line, let alone a rail tour!