An investigation into a crash between a farm trailer and a train that moved at 80 km / h in Herefordshire showed that the driver of the trailer reached permission to cross the traces at the level that crossed before the collision.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), an independent agency that cooperates with the Department for Transport, has released its first findings about what happened during the crash.
The incident included a transport for Wales Train, which operated a passenger service from Manchester to Cardiff on 22 May, when it rode in an agricultural trailer that crossed the traces.
The collision took place around 10.37 am while the train passed near Leominster, Herefordshire.
The train rode 80 km / h when it collided with the trailer, which was over the crossing of the Nordan Farm Level through a tractor.
In his first report, Raib said that the driver of the tractor who was involved in the accident had called the signer before using the intersection.
The crossing of Nordan Farm is equipped with telephones, which people are instructed to use to obtain permission from the signaler before opening the crossing gates and crossing the railway.
Despite the use of the telephone, the trailer was smashed by an oncoming train. Fortunately, the tractordriver was not injured.
In the aftermath of the collision, the trailer was separated from the tractor and got stuck on the front of the train, but the train ran about 500 meters under brakes before it came to a stop.
The train did not derail, but the leading vehicle and some of the front passenger coaches have suffered damage. There was also damage to the affected trailer, lineside equipment and a second level crossed beyond Nordan Farm.
At the time there were 66 passengers and eight employees on board and six passengers were treated for minor injuries. Two of the wounded people were taken to the hospital and later fired.
Passenger Morgan Shake described the hearing of a “really loud bang” while the train hit the trailer.
“The train just stopped moving, there was just rubble everywhere,” she said BBC News.
“Not many people knew what was going on,” added fellow passenger Sophie Hughen.
“But luckily nobody was seriously injured, so that was really good.”
Raib will continue to investigate the order of events that have led to the accident. It will investigate the actions of those involved and all the factors that may have influenced them.
It will also look at earlier incidents at the Nordan Farm Crossing, as well as the management of risks in the wider strategy of this intersection and network rail for reducing risks.
The rail network was confronted with disruption more than 24 hours after the crash, where the line between Hereford and Shrewsbury was blocked.
The British transport police arrested a 32-year-old man who was released in research.
The crash report follows another investigation by Raib with two transport for Wales services that collided in October.
Four errors were detected in one of the train safety systems. The incident resulted in the death of one man and 23 people were also injured.
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