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Accident Report / Recommendations Request

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by VCB, Oct 15, 2021.

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  1. VCB

    VCB Guest

    Apologies for raising a ghastly subject, but would anyone be able to link to the report into the early 1990s fatality to a member of loco crew at the Mid Hants please?
    Pre RAIB, so not readily available online so far as I can see.
    Some important lessons and recommendations from this, which after the passage of time may not be known to some.

    many thanks if you’re able to help.
     
  2. Andy Moody

    Andy Moody Member

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    I was a volunteer Signalman on the MHR from 1976 to 2013. I have absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE of there ever being a fatality to any member of staff.
    Have you got the right Railway?
     
  3. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    From memory a fireman was in the tender moving coal forward and struck by a bridge
     
  4. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    I was there on that day, working in the yard, I helped prep and clean the loco, As i understand it, the person, was standing in the coal space trimming coal, he was facing away from the low bridge, and his head was struck by it, The crew were un aware of what happened until they pulled into Alresford, when a major incident was enacted, after this, every member of loco, who was on the footplate was told you do not go into the coal space whilst in motion, To this day, I don't think any of us know why he decided to trim the coal, he was an experienced footplate man, and we can only think he became complacent, as did the driver and fireman,
     
  5. VCB

    VCB Guest

    I remember the fall out. A forceful reminder of what one person can be expected to be able to supervise. Perhaps some “organisational amnesia” elsewhere, and it would be helpful to put some documentation in front of people.
     
  6. 5801

    5801 Member

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    There was no published report on that accident. An FOI request to ORR, who hold the papers, might be your best bet.
     
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  7. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

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    I do not see the point of publishing a report on this horrible accident. The main points have been stated by Martin already. The key learning is simple. Do not climb on the coal when the engine is moving. This point is drilled into new cleaners. If there is evidence or experience that something worrying is happening other than this at a railway then raise it with the management urgently.
     
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  8. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    As 21B has stated, there is nothing to be gained into any publishing of this matter, it's common sence, and I am sure, that cleaners and new footplate staff have it made very clear, what is safe, and what isn't safe to do,
     
  9. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

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    Is it still the case that the tenders carry a cast plaque above the coal hole, with instruction to not enter the tender while in motion (or words to that effect)?
    Pat
     
  10. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I wonder if anyone was ever "hauled over the coals" for ignoring that one?
     
  11. VCB

    VCB Guest

    Thank you.

    The lessons from this went much further than the obvious of not climbing up when then loco is in motion. Also the supervising of more than one person in training at once. Just how much it is sensible to have “going on” on a footplate at any one time.

    Let us leave the matter there. Thank you to all who contributed.
     
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  12. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I suspect that, today, this would have led to output from RAIB - whether report or safety digest I wouldn’t like to say.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  13. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    no, but drivers became very aware of the need to ensure that everyone was back on the footplate once it was departure time, The drivers i had were very strict on that front, but saying that, earlier on, a few did lose their drivers tickets mostly for breaking the speed limit, and abusing the engines, one in particular, i can remember ran Thomas hot, on a week day Thomas event, i was on James, double heading, and our instructions were you do most of the work because Thomas needs attention, needless to say, We were train engine, Thomas pilot, and he dragged us and the train out of the station, then lied about it when asked to explain.
     
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