9M50 - 9 Car Pendolino Low Speed Buffer Collision At London Euston - 05/07/2025

[ulysses_k]

How did this happen?

 

[NSEWonderer]

Heard a 9 car Pendolino from Edinburgh has had a low speed collision with the buffers at Euston Platform 1? Hope everyone is ok.

Realtime Trains | 9M50 0652 Edinburgh to London Euston | 05/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 9M50 0652 departure from Edinburgh to London Euston on 05/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Image from Twitter user
@finchystevens show 9M50 having collided with the buffers at lowspeed.

 

[Towers]

But did BTP instantly appear to arrest the driver?!

 

[NSEWonderer]

Nope, Cab was left as is however so that evidence can be preserved as is the norm with these incidents. Drive would have been D&A'd at some point too.

 

[brad465]

Nope, Cab was left as is however so that evidence can be preserved as is the norm with these incidents. Drive would have been D&A'd at some point too.

Is that something about being drug and alcohol tested?

 

[hexagon789]

Is that something about being drug and alcohol tested?

Yes, standard procedure in the wake of the Cannon Street crash.

 

[Skie]

Pushed the buffers back a bit too. Though they've done their job.

 

[Sorcerer]

Oh dear. For the sake of the driver here's hoping it's not the same one who had an overshoot at Milton Keynes a few weeks back. Even with a strong union you'd be in a tough spot with two operational incidents in such a close space of time.

 

[185]

If I recall, there were two such 2mph incidents about 2010 at Liverpool where in the final braking aspect, the train slipped through and the brakes allowed the wheels to keep rolling.

 

[saismee]

Where is the unit now? Has it been moved?

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Where is the unit now? Has it been moved?

Still there.

 

[sad1e]

Where is the unit now? Has it been moved?

Still in Euston platform 1 according to traksy.

I wonder what platform the Caledonian sleeper will use tonight considering it normally uses platform 1 due to the length of it's consist.

 

[greatkingrat]

It won't use any platform as today is Saturday!

 

[Peter0124]

View attachment 183169
Still in Euston platform 1 according to traksy.

I wonder what platform the Caledonian sleeper will use tonight considering it normally uses platform 1 due to the length of it's consist.

It would likely use 15, or 2. But as its Saturday it won't be running!

 

[FrodshamJnct]

1Z87 the Llandudno to Euston tour was booked to use P1 tonight.

 

[AndrewE]

If I recall, there were two such 2mph incidents about 2010 at Liverpool where in the final braking aspect, the train slipped through and the brakes allowed the wheels to keep rolling.

I think they might have been a resullt of the wheelslip protection fighting the normal brakes, resolved by disabling the WSP at a slightly higher speed?

 

[Tilting007]

Where is the unit now? Has it been moved?

Wembley Depot

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jul 2025 ==

View attachment 183169
Still in Euston platform 1 according to traksy.

I wonder what platform the Caledonian sleeper will use tonight considering it normally uses platform 1 due to the length of it's consist.

Doesn’t Run on Saturday’s (sorry - was already mentioned)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jul 2025 ==

1Z87 the Llandudno to Euston tour was booked to use P1 tonight.

That can be accommodated elsewhere without any bother.

 

[Crossover]

View attachment 183169
Still in Euston platform 1 according to traksy.

I wonder what platform the Caledonian sleeper will use tonight considering it normally uses platform 1 due to the length of it's consist.

The berth to the right of the platform number is simply the last arrival, from memory, so with the block in place, it isn’t really possible to derive specifics on where the unit is

1Z87 the Llandudno to Euston tour was booked to use P1 tonight.

Looks like it used p2

 

[RGM654]

Is this train actually damaged or has it been removed to the depot only for investigation? Unlike buffers in the old days, many nowadays, including those in this incident, are arranged to absorb energy by sliding a significant distance against increasing resistance. A train with conventional buffers would then not be damaged at all if it hits the buffers at low speed. Does the same apply to Pendos and similar modern stock or can they not withstand even minor impacts where buffers would be?

 

[800001]

Is this train actually damaged or has it been removed to the depot only for investigation? Unlike buffers in the old days, many nowadays, including those in this incident, are arranged to absorb energy by sliding a significant distance against increasing resistance. A train with conventional buffers would then not be damaged at all if it hits the buffers at low speed. Does the same apply to Pendos and similar modern stock or can they not withstand even minor impacts where buffers would be?

The doors to the coupling area will certainly be damaged (easy to replace), unknown about any other damage as not seen any other pictures.

 

[Russel]

The doors to the coupling area will certainly be damaged (easy to replace), unknown about any other damage as not seen any other pictures.

Also the potential for the coupling equipment behind the door to be damaged.

 

[Sorcerer]

Is this train actually damaged or has it been removed to the depot only for investigation? Unlike buffers in the old days, many nowadays, including those in this incident, are arranged to absorb energy by sliding a significant distance against increasing resistance. A train with conventional buffers would then not be damaged at all if it hits the buffers at low speed. Does the same apply to Pendos and similar modern stock or can they not withstand even minor impacts where buffers would be?

Aside from the coupling hatch and possibly some equipment behind it being damaged, I expect the train could be put back into service sooner rather than later. Even if it doesn't meet modern crashworthiness standards the Pendolino is still a tank of a unit, so I'd be surprised if a low-speed collision would put it out of action for longer than a few weeks.

 

[saismee]

Also the potential for the coupling equipment behind the door to be damaged.

I think most couplers can take a lot more of an impact than you'd expect. Dellner couplers can take upwards of 5mph before deforming (IIRC, I couldn't find where I read this) and over 10mph before damaging the train itself. I'm sure fitting a new coupler would be reasonably easy.

Do we know the actual speed of the collision yet?

 

[Efini92]

Oh dear. For the sake of the driver here's hoping it's not the same one who had an overshoot at Milton Keynes a few weeks back. Even with a strong union you'd be in a tough spot with two operational incidents in such a close space of time.

Why would you think it was the same driver? Mistakes happen, any driver is capable of one.

 

[Sorcerer]

Why would you think it was the same driver? Mistakes happen, any driver is capable of one.

I wasn't suggesting it was, and I acknowledge there is no strong reason at the moment to believe it could be the same driver. The only reason I have is that it could've possibly been a top link Euston or Liverpool driver on a roster that has them working the West Midlands that day which would've been the same link as the driver working the service that overshot Milton Keynes a few weeks ago. I only really meant to say that I hope it isn't the case because, if it were me, I'd feel very anxious and uneasy, especially in an industry that I've heard was very intolerant of mistakes. Thankfully it's unlikely.

 

[Archvile]

I wasn't suggesting it was, and I acknowledge there is no strong reason at the moment to believe it could be the same driver. The only reason I have is that it could've possibly been a top link Euston or Liverpool driver on a roster that has them working the West Midlands that day which would've been the same link as the driver working the service that overshot Milton Keynes a few weeks ago. I only really meant to say that I hope it isn't the case because, if it were me, I'd feel very anxious and uneasy, especially in an industry that I've heard was very intolerant of mistakes. Thankfully it's unlikely.

That's not how the links at AWC work, and it has no bearing on which driver was involved. Given the time of day it occurred, it could have been any driver, any link, any depot, with the exception of Holyhead, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

[D6130]

During my twenty year driving career, the vast majority of low-speed buffer stop collisions that I witnessed - or of which I witnessed the aftermath - were caused by railhead contamination....usually oil which had leaked from a locomotive or unit which had spent some time standing at the buffer stops. The 308s were infamous for it in the West end bay platforms at Leeds. While not wishing in any way to prejudge the outcome of the investigation, don't Caledonian Sleeper class 92 locos spend a considerable amount of time parked at the buffer stop end of platform 1 at Euston six evenings and mornings per week?

 

[Sorcerer]

That's not how the links at AWC work, and it has no bearing on which driver was involved. Given the time of day it occurred, it could have been any driver, any link, any depot, with the exception of Holyhead, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Then it's most probably nothing too serious then. My original comment was intended to be sympathetic since even if this was a different driver and it turns out not to be their fault (such as poor rail adhesion), an operational incident can make someone feel uneasy or anxious, and that would've only been made worse if they were the same one who had the overshoot at Milton Keynes a few weeks ago. Even just one incident would be embarrassing at best.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Then it's most probably nothing too serious then. My original comment was intended to be sympathetic since even if this was a different driver and it turns out not to be their fault (such as poor rail adhesion), an operational incident can make someone feel uneasy or anxious, and that would've only been made worse if they were the same one who had the overshoot at Milton Keynes a few weeks ago. Even just one incident would be embarrassing at best.

“One incident would be embarrassing at best.” Totally disagree - an incident that occurs where the driver is not at fault is nothing to be embarrassed about.

 

[Sorcerer]

“One incident would be embarrassing at best.” Totally disagree - an incident that occurs where the driver is not at fault is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Perhaps I'm just projecting then.