The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released a report today with three sections into adhesion-related incidents. The first section covers signals passed at danger at Esher on 25 November 2005, the second section covers a signal passed at danger at Lewes on 30 November 2005, and the third section is a review of adhesion related incidents during the autumn of 2005.
The full report is available here:
A summary of the key points from the report is included below:
Summary
Esher
On Friday 25 November 2005, a South West Trains service from Alton to Waterloo passed two signals at danger by 1050 metres and 200 metres respectively shortly after passing through Esher station. The train approached to within 200 metres of another train, from Woking to Waterloo.
There were no injuries and no damage to the infrastructure caused by the incident. The immediate cause was low wheel-rail adhesion.
Lewes
On Wednesday 30 November 2005, a Southern Railways service from Brighton to Hastings passed a signal at danger by 150 metres at Lewes station. The driver of a second train, from Lewes to Seaford, realised that the two trains were on a converging path and stopped short of the potential point of conflict.
There were no injuries caused by the incident. The immediate cause was low wheel-rail adhesion
Adhesion Performance during autumn 2005
The two incidents detailed above occurred against a backdrop of an increase in the number of adhesion related signals passed at danger and station overruns on the national rail network during autumn 2005, as compared with autumn 2004. The RAIB therefore investigated to establish the causes of the increase and to identify ways performance can be improved.
Recommendations
There were issues identified in both the Esher and Lewes investigations which have broad implications. These and the related recommendations are dealt with in part 3 of the report.
The RAIB made three recommendations relating to issues that were specific to the incident at Esher. These are associated with the movement of trains in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Three recommendations are also made relating to issues specific to the incident at Lewes. These address the training of signallers to deal with emergency situations and the management of incidents.
The broader investigation into the adhesion performance during autumn 2005, part 3 of the report, identified a range of issues and recommendations are made to Network Rail, Train Operating Companies and the Rail Safety and Standards Board. The recommendations relate to:
- Wheel-slide and sanding equipment
- Train operating guidance
- Prediction, treatment of and research into low adhesion conditions
- Industry investigation of low adhesion events
- Performance criteria and simulation of trains
- Research and testing of magnetic track brakes
Those recommendations that required action in the short term were advised to the industry in July 2006 in order that the findings could be taken into account during the industry's preparations for autumn 2006.
Notes to Editors
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch started operation on 17 October 2005. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. The RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
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Newsdate: 8 January 2007
