Llanbradach 03/09. Passengers injured when train strikes tree.

[PHILIPE]

I can't go into the full details re train working as information on this aspect is too sketchy, but last night 2R24 2047 Penarth to Rhymney struck a tree on the line at Llanbradach resulting in 3 passengers suffering minor injuries, two of whom were taken to hospital. The damaged unit is 150217 but this train is booked to convey an additional units for the following morning start of play at Rhymney. The train terminated at Ystrad Mynach 202L according to RTT and, according to BBC News, the damaged train was moved at 0100 and line open normally.
Any further info and links would be very welcome.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

From the looks of the damage in the photos it hit the tree fairly hard, can't make out if that's damage to the bodywork to the right of the doorway. Don't know what that thing is sat in the doorway, I'm guessing that it's a cover for something

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/15512469.Two_taken_to_hospital_after_train_crash/

Two taken to hospital after train crash between Llanbradach and Ystrad Mynach
Saul Cooke-Black

TWO people have been taken to hospital after a train crash.

A spokesman for Welsh Ambulance said they received a call from the police at around 10pm that a train had hit a tree between Llanbradach and Ystrad Mynach.

Six ambulance vehicles attended, including three rapid response vehicles, as well as the hazardous response team, police and fire service.

One person was taken to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and another to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said five crews attended to assist people on the train.

The spokeswoman said they were called at 10.05pm to reports a train had hit a tree near Llanbradach station.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/three-people-injured-after-train-13567800

hree people injured after train crashes into tree

Six ambulances, five fire crews and the police went to the scene and people were taken to hospital

ByPhilip Dewey

A train crash left two people in hospital after it hit a tree on the tracks.

The crash took place near Llanbradach railway station, in Caerphilly , at around 10.05pm, with Arriva Trains Wales’ Rhymney service affected.

Six ambulances, five fire crews and the police went to the scene.

Three people suffered minor injuries and two were taken to hospital, one to the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and one to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport .
Six ambulances, five fire crews and the police went to the scene after a train hit a tree

A spokesperson from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said there were around 17 people on board at the time of the crash.

The train was not derailed as a result of the crash and services are running normally this morning.

 

[Crossover]

Quite a few photos and things on the Wales Online site if you can battle through all the ads

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/three-people-injured-after-train-13567800

A train crash left two people in hospital after it hit a tree on the tracks.

The crash took place near Llanbradach railway station, in Caerphilly , at around 10.05pm, with Arriva Trains Wales’ Rhymney service affected.

Six ambulances, five fire crews and the police went to the scene.


Three people suffered minor injuries and two were taken to hospital, one to the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and one to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport .


Six ambulances, five fire crews and the police went to the scene after a train hit a tree

A spokesperson from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said there were around 17 people on board at the time of the crash.

The train was not derailed as a result of the crash and services are running normally this morning.

 

[craigybagel]

From the looks of the damage in the photos it hit the tree fairly hard, can't make out if that's damage to the bodywork to the right of the doorway. Don't know what that thing is sat in the doorway, I'm guessing that it's a cover for something

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/15512469.Two_taken_to_hospital_after_train_crash/



http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/three-people-injured-after-train-13567800

The thing in the doorway is the bin, it hangs on the bulkhead next to the door. Hard to make out but it looks like there are a few dents around the cab as well as on the doors, I can't see it being a quick fix.....

 

[Kite159]

Quite a few photos and things on the Wales Online site if you can battle through all the ads

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/three-people-injured-after-train-13567800

Dear god that site is bad for adverts

Looks like 150217 may be out of action for a few months. Makes you dread what would have been the damage had it been a 142.

 

[CardiffKid]

Now reported on the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-41145166

Four people were injured after a train hit a tree which had fallen on the line in Caerphilly county.

The incident happened on the line between Llanbradach and Ystrad Mynach at about 22:00 BST on Sunday.

Crews from five fire stations attended the scene and of the 17 people on board, four were treated, with two taken to hospital.

The train had not derailed and was moved by 01:00 Monday, with services back to normal later in the morning.

Robert Dorian Barbero, whose company sent two buses to Ystrad Mynach to pick up the train's passengers, said he spoke to the driver at the station.

"He said he came around the bend towards Llanbradach and there was a landslide," said Mr Barbero, a director of Top Class Travel Taxis, of Blackwood...

With out adverts of course

 

[SpacePhoenix]

****, that hole in the cab window looks like it could be around eye level for the driver!

 

[LowLevel]

We have had a couple of incidents with 15x whereby first a pheasant and then a human corpse caused the windscreens to effectively explode seriously injuring the driver. Our units are having a new type of film fitted to them to try and reduce the likelihood of this happening. Happily both trains had other crew members on board to care for the driver in the mean time while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

 

[theageofthetra]

We have had a couple of incidents with 15x whereby first a pheasant and then a human corpse caused the windscreens to effectively explode seriously injuring the driver. Our units are having a new type of film fitted to them to try and reduce the likelihood of this happening. Happily both trains had other crew members on board to care for the driver in the mean time while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

Very nasty incidents- I bet the union had something to say about it. Good to hear that something is being done, this driver had a very lucky escape

 

[QueensCurve]

****, that hole in the cab window looks like it could be around eye level for the driver!

Regards and best wishes for the driver. It looks like a scary experience.

 

[73001]

Very nasty incidents- I bet the union had something to say about it. Good to hear that something is being done, this driver had a very lucky escape

What a situation... middle of nowhere, pitch black, wet & windy - train hits something, driver incapacitated and a number passengers injured. In a lot of places where trains run the normal mobile signal is poor at best and even then, do the passengers know where they are? How long before emergency services reach the scene?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

What a situation... middle of nowhere, pitch black, wet & windy - train hits something, driver incapacitated and a number passengers injured. In a lot of places where trains run the normal mobile signal is poor at best and even then, do the passengers know where they are? How long before emergency services reach the scene?

Had the driver been knocked out by the impact, would the train have automatically made an emergency GSM-R call (either broadcast or to the signaller)?

 

[PHILIPE]

150217 scheduled to run back from Ystrad Myanch to Canton at 5 mph after last train tonight.

 

[Sunset route]

Had the driver been knocked out by the impact, would the train have automatically made an emergency GSM-R call (either broadcast or to the signaller)?

No, but I hope the DSD (drivers safety divice) alarm would activate. But that doesn't send out stop messages like a REC call would.

 

[TheEdge]

The GSM-R may attempt to call the box if the DSD alarm is activated, but it wont initiate a REC call. All of that obviously assumes the GSM-R equipment and DSD equipment in the leading cab, plus all the associated electronics have survived the initial crash.

 

[Chris M]

According to the ATW spokesperson on the BBC News article linked above "The incident left our driver very shaken up". If it was me driving the train "very shaken up" would be somewhat of an understatement!
Fortunately it seems he was only shaken, so hopefully they'll make a speedy recovery, and just as fortunately there was a guard who was able to assist them and the passengers. A very good advert for guards this incident.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Worse case the driver is knocked out by the impact, unable to activate the REC call, but the DSD isn't depressed so it sends the alarm to the controlling signaller.

The signaller will attempt to contact the train, initially via the GSMR set in the leading cab, failure to respond will lead to a PA call to the train (on enabled stock, I don't know if Class 150 as so fitted to enable this to happen).

We ask that if there are any railway staff onboard to make contact via the driver but obviously this would prove tricky if the driver is injured.

The signaller would protect the line if we can't contact the driver and the train has become unusually long time in section as this would be.

We'd then contact control who would in turn contact ToC to other ontrain staff (if provided), if it was DOO the MOM would be sent out to the train to investigate which could take some time.

If the section was double track, the next train would be used to examine the line and report back their findings.

Either way the lack of a 2nd crew member increasss response time, and potentially medical attention to injured persons.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I fear this may turn into another debate which is not whats needed here when really we simply all as passengers, cranks or staff of any grade need to praise the staff of ATW and the blue light crews.

 

[IanXC]

I fear this may turn into another debate which is not whats needed here when really we simply all as passengers, cranks or staff of any grade need to praise the staff of ATW and the blue light crews.

Agreed. This is not the time or place for a DOO discussion.
Any posts related modes of operation not in use in this incident are off topic and will be deleted.

 

[philthetube]

Worse case the driver is knocked out by the impact, unable to activate the REC call, but the DSD isn't depressed so it sends the alarm to the controlling signaller.

Can the DSD be disabled in an accident or is it fail safe?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Would it be worth on any stock where they can't, have them modified so that the signaller can make a PA announcement on a train (mainly to request any on or off duty staff of any TOC/FOC that happen to be aboard to check on the well being of the driver?

 

[Blindtraveler]

I assume you mean by means of an automated announcement? If so then from the position of a passenger I say yes, and perhaps said announcement should also request assistance of any medically trained punters onboard too?

This is howerver I think off topic, given IanXC's warning above.

 

[Kattyjohn82]

217 looking rather sorry for itself back at Canton.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

217 looking rather sorry for itself back at Canton.

Is that what appears to be a cable hanging down the cable that would goto the electrical connector block of the coupler?

 

[Kite159]

217 looking rather sorry for itself back at Canton.

Potential of a new temporary hybrid unit using the good end of 217 attached to another 150?

 

[PHILIPE]

Potential of a new temporary hybrid unit using the good end of 217 attached to another 150?

Good idea but I don't think ATW are inclined to go down that road.

 

[Parallel]

Good idea but I don't think ATW are inclined to go down that road.

Which is a shame really as a 3 car 150 can cover a 4 car pacer diagram, with the pacers strengthening/working something else in the valleys - attaching to a 153 and working HOW services or Pembroke/Ebbw Vale Town/Cheltenham/Maesteg.

I'm sure GWR wouldn't mind borrowing it for a few months, not that that's likely to happen of course.

 

[ValleyLines142]

150217 was also the unit involved in the Fishguard derailment back in July 2012, when it hit a herd of cows! This unit is doomed!

However a nasty incident. Lucky the casualties remain low for the time being.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

150217 was also the unit involved in the Fishguard derailment back in July 2012, when it hit a herd of cows! This unit is doomed!

However a nasty incident. Lucky the casualties remain low for the time being.

Has there ever been a class 150 with the number 150666? It seems like 217 is cursed

 

[Tom Quinne]

Can the DSD be disabled in an accident or is it fail safe?

The DSD alarm is linked into the GSMR so in theory and maybe practice (I'm not a driver, just a signaller) if the front end is damaged or more importantly the equipment both DSD and GSMR could be completely disabled by the impact.

That's when train protection 19th century style happens....run 1 - 1/4 miles and lay dets and contact the signaller by whatever means you can...oh and hope another train doesn't come in the mean time !