Re: Near miss at Victoria (London)

[Bill Bolton <billbolton@computer.org>]

james_shugg@my-deja.com wrote:

More info...

With all signals at red because of a signal failure, a Connex South
Central train travelling to Horsham in West Sussex was allowed to pass
through a red light. At the same time, however, another Connex train
to East Grinstead, also in West Sussex, went through a red signal. The
signalman, operating from a Clapham Junction box, saw that the trains
were converging and cut their power. 

The Horsham driver had already seen his colleague’s train and had
started to apply his brakes. He came to a rest a few feet from where
the collision would have happened. The East Grinstead train rolled
past the point where the tracks converged. 

Connex yesterday interviewed both drivers, who were taken off driving
duties. 

The East Grinstead driver is understood to be maintaining that he
thought he had been given clearance to leave. 

The signal failure at 9.45pm had affected platforms 12-19 at Victoria.
In such circumstances signallers talk through trains that are given
permission to pass red signals one at a time. 

Both trains were running late. The Horsham train should have left at
11.10pm and departed from platform 19. The 11.24pm East Grinstead
train left from platform 15. 

Railtrack said: Despite the low speeds, any collision would have been
very, very serious and a full and thorough investigation has started.
We will be interviewing all those involved, including the drivers and
signallers. 

Connex refused to accept responsibility for the incident while the
investigation continued. While Railtrack accused the East Grinstead
driver of going through a red light without permission, Connex said
that he could have been given confusing messages about whether to
proceed. 

Signalbox voice-data recorders will be studied as part of the
investigation. 

Les Hayes, the signalman, said: I did the same as any other signaller
would have done in the same situation. 

[From the London Times 4/1/01]

Cheers,

Bill




Bill Bolton
Sydney, Australia