picture RAIB
The train from Corby which ran into the back of a stationary train south of Bedford, killing the driver and injuring more than 160 passengers, had passed a red signal a few moments before. The RAIB has issued its first report into the collision on 19 June, also revealing that the Corby train was travelling at almost 50mph.
Accident investigators have been gathering evidence from train staff, passengers, signallers and other witnesses, and have also analysed the data from the ‘black boxes’ on the two trains.
The collision occurred about 4km south of Bedford on the Midland Main Line at around 17.15 on 19 June.
The train in front was the 15.50 East Midlands Railway service from Nottingham to London St Pancras, which had come to a stand at signal WH152. This train had stopped unexpectedly because a fault had developed with its Automatic Warning System, which caused the brakes to come on.
The track circuit for this section of track was showing occupied, and the interlocking would have therefore changed the signal behind the train, WH154, to display a red aspect.
The train from Corby passed this signal, and the collision followed.
Data recorded by the ‘black box’ shows that the brakes had been applied nine seconds earlier, and that the speed of the Corby train was 49 mph (79 km/h) when the collision occurred.
The recovery of the trains involves vehicles being lifted by crane and moved away from the site by a specially constructed road.
Trains between Bedford and Luton are not expected to restart until the end of tomorrow at the earliest.
Regional managing director for Network Rail Eastern Ellie Burrows said: ‘Following the publication of the investigation update from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, we are fully committed to working as an industry to support the continuing investigation to understand exactly what happened.
‘We are deeply sorry that this has happened on our railway, and our thoughts remain with all those affected, particularly those passengers who were badly injured and the loved ones of driver Shaun Burton, who so tragically lost his life.
‘Incidents like this are extremely rare on Britain’s railways which remain among the safest in the world but, when they do happen, we are determined to fully understand why.’
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