Report 07/2010: Derailment on Severn Valley Railway
Derailment near Hampton Loade station, Severn Valley Railway, 28 September 2009.
On 28 September 2009, a derailment occurred on the Severn Valley Railway heritage line between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. The tender of a steam locomotive hauling a passenger train became derailed as it approached Hampton Loade station. There were no injuries.
The immediate cause of the accident was the flange of the leading right-hand wheel of the tender climbing over the right-hand rail.
The causal factors were that a spring had been replaced on the tender with one which was not of the correct type and the track had become distorted without the track maintenance staff being aware of the problem.
The RAIB have made five recommendations to the Severn Valley Railway concerning its safety management system, its engineering procedures, communication of safety related information to its staff and volunteers and its audit process.
Response to recommendations:
- RAIB will periodically update the status of recommendations as reported to us by the relevant safety authority or public body.
- RAIB may add comment, particularly if we have concerns regarding these responses.