This accident demonstrates the importance of:
• organisations which work within the railway boundary following their procedures so that visitors are appropriately managed and supervised when they are lineside, particularly where sites are being set up or shut down, or on other occasions when supervisory staff are less likely to be present
• organisations having a clear understanding of the requirements when work is taking place within the railway boundary that involves road vehicles, so that they can ensure that an appropriate safe system of work, and staff with the required competencies, are in place.
At 08:48 hrs, train reporting number 2B07, the 08:12 hrs Northern service from Huddersfield to Sheffield, was travelling at 20 mph (32 km/h) when it struck the stabiliser leg of a lorry that was parked next to the track. The lorry’s stabiliser legs had been deployed as its crane was being used to lift portable toilet units onto its flatbed. The accident occurred about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) to the south-east of Penistone station, on the section of line between Huddersfield and Barnsley. The train had been accelerating after departing from Penistone station, and had reached 27 mph (43 km/h) when the lorry came into view. The driver saw a person near to the lorry and sounded the train’s horn to give a warning. Although the driver saw the person and lorry, the stabiliser legs were not clearly visible, and the driver continued accelerating. As the train got closer, the driver then noticed one of the stabiliser legs was very close to the track, so he applied the train’s brakes. The train struck the lorry five seconds later. The train crew and 25 passengers on board the train were unhurt by the collision. The lorry’s stabiliser leg was damaged and there was also some damage to the front and side of the train.
After the train came to a stop, the driver made an emergency call to report the accident. The train was later moved to Barnsley, from where the passengers were able to continue their journeys.
