Re: English Railway Accident

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@ozemail.com.au>]

"Paul Hambleton" <P.Hambleton@bom.gov.au> wrote in message
news:97iqdh$1k1$1@arachne.labyrinth.net.au...
> See http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1193000/1193810.stm for
> details.
> Looks like really really bad luck for all concerned. It appears from the
> report that the vehicle fell from a trailer on an adjacent roadway and
> rolled onto the tracks at the worst possible moment.
>
> Paul Hambleton
>
A real shame - there has been a crisis of confidence in Britain's railways
over the past couple of years - the accident near Paddington early 1999.
then last year everything was slowed down after Railtrack imposed severe
restrictions throughout the network after the Hatfield crash and there was
turmoil everywhere as timetables fell to pieces and journey times were
extended, resulting in many passengers abandoning trains.   Just recently
things were improving for the better, most temporary speed restrictions had
been lifted and ridership was improving.

This accident won't help engender confidence, yet it comes about because of
inadequate engineering during motorway construction, if a light vehicle such
as a landrover can slide of a road onto tracks, imagine what more damage a
heavy vehicle could do.  Clearly there should have been adequate protection
barriers to prevent vehicles coming off the road onto the tracks.

Regards

David Bennetts
Bowral