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Man on motorbike dies at railway crossing near Stroud

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Trains travel at 60mph in the area the collision happened

A man has died when the motorbike he was riding was hit by a train at a railway crossing.

British Transport Police said the collision, at Frampton Mansell near Stroud, happened on Sunday evening.

A 37-year-old man, thought to be from Stroud, was treated by paramedics at the scene but later died. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch and Office of Rail Regulation have been informed of the death.

A police spokesman said the man was on a "scrambling motorbike" when he was hit by the train which was travelling from Swindon to Gloucester.

"None of the 40 passengers on board the service was injured," he added.

"Officers are currently working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision and formally identify the man who died."

Fatal accident at Frampton Mansell level crossing, near Stroud, Gloucestershire

RAIB is investigating a fatal accident that occurred on a level crossing at Frampton Mansell, between Kemble and Stroud, on Sunday 11 May 2014. At about 18:40 hrs, a motorcyclist was riding his motorbike across the railway when he was struck by a train travelling from Swindon to Gloucester, and died shortly afterwards.

The crossing, which is over two railway tracks, links an unclassified tarmac road on the northern edge of Frampton Mansell with a track running through farmland towards Sapperton. The unstaffed crossing is provided with simple swing gates, and signs which give warnings and instructions to users on how the crossing is to be used safely. On each side of the crossing are located telephones which are linked to the signalling centre.

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Image showing Frampton Mansell crossing

RAIB^s investigation will identify the sequence of events which led to the accident and any factors which may have influenced the actions of the user. It will also examine:
 - Network Rail^s management of the crossing;
 - the history of the crossing; and
 - the permitted uses of the track and road on the approaches to the crossing.

RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigation by the safety authority (the Office of Railway Regulation).

RAIB will publish its findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. These findings will be available on the RAIB website.

Summary

At around 18:45 hrs on Sunday 11 May 2014, a passenger train approaching the village of Frampton Mansell, in Gloucestershire, struck a motorcycle on Frampton level crossing. The rider of the motorcycle was fatally injured. The train did not derail, and there were no reported injuries to anyone on the train.

The rider was crossing the railway on a trail bike, a type of motorcycle designed for use on public roads and for off-road use. He was the last of a group of three riders who had reached the level crossing along an unsurfaced track leading from a minor road near the village of Sapperton.

Signage on the approach to the crossing instructed vehicle users (eg trail bike riders) to use a telephone located close to the crossing. This allowed the railway signaller to tell users whether it was safe to cross the railway. The riders did not use the telephone because they believed that they could cross safely by looking for trains before crossing, and because the signs did not grab their attention sufficiently for them to read the information on them. The riders did not know that a curve in the railway meant that they could not rely on seeing an approaching train as a means of deciding whether it was safe to cross. The train^s warning horn was sounded as it approached, but the trail bike riders could not hear this because they were wearing full-face crash helmets and their trail bike engines were noisy. Network Rail had received some information that trail bikers were using the crossing, but had not taken effective action to manage the associated risk of unsafe use.

Although permitted to use vehicles on both approaches to the level crossing, the trail bike riders were unaware they were not among the people permitted to use vehicles on the crossing. The signs giving instructions to vehicle users did not explain this, and there was no other indication at the crossing, or on the approaches. There was no requirement for signs or other indications to be provided by Network Rail, or any other organisation, to indicate that the general public were not permitted to take vehicles onto the level crossing.

The investigation identified three observations, unrelated to the accident, relating to level crossing signage, correct sounding of train warning horns and provision of reliable images from CCTV cameras fitted to trains.

Recommendations

As a consequence of this investigation, RAIB has made six recommendations. Two addressed to Network Rail, one addressed to the ORR and one addressed to the Department for Transport relate to improved content and positioning of information provided to level crossing users. Two recommendations addressed to Network Rail require it to seek a better understanding of actual (not only permitted) use of level crossings, and, in conjunction with highway authorities, to raise public awareness of locations where the general public are not permitted to take vehicles onto level crossings.

Man, 60, and dog killed in accident between train and Landrover in Frampton Mansell near Chalford

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A CAR has collided with a train in Frampton Mansell near Chalford, the 60-year-old driver of the landrover was killed in the crash along with one of his dogs.
 
The incident occurred at 3.03pm, train services in the area have been halted until 5.15pm with replacement buses, with forecast disruption between Swindon and Gloucester for the rest of the day.

The Landrover was carried at least a half a mile down the track by the train.

It is also believed that there were two dogs in the car, one of which did not survive the crash.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said: "The call was received at 3.03pm to Frampton Mansell to reports of a two-vehicle collision. There is one male casualty, who is 60-years-old."
The vehicle was hit by the 1.36pm service from London to Cheltenham at Frampton Mansell.

A statement from British Transport Police said: "At 3.10pm today we were called to a level crossing close to Frampton Mansell, Gloucestershire, following reports that a car had been struck by a train.
“Officers from BTP attended alongside paramedics from the South Western Ambulance Service however a man, believed to be the driver of the car, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are now working to identify the man and inform his family.

"The car was struck by the Great Western Railway's London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa service. There are no other reported injuries.

"At present, officers are currently examining the scene to establish the circumstances which led to the man's car being struck.

"Anyone with any information is asked to contact BTP by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 311 of 07/02. Or you can send a text to BTP on 61016.

"The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have been notified of this incident."

Queues are building up in Stroud as replacement bus services are on their way, trains have come to a standstill.

17:40 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:44

17:40 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:44 will be cancelled.
This is due to a collision at a level crossing yesterday.

18:48 Swindon to Southampton Central due 20:44

An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 18:48 Swindon to Southampton Central due 20:44.
Will be formed of 1 coach.

With the same caveats that Graham posted with - it IS nice to note the trains are running.  However Journeycheck is showing..

Following a collision at a level crossing yesterday between Swindon and Gloucester all lines have now reopened.

Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
All lines have now reopened.
First trains planned to run will be:
15:36 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa starting from Swindon
18:34 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington.

Customers are advised to check back for updates.
Disruption to services could still however last until the end of the day due to train and staff displacement.

21:20 Southampton Central to Westbury due 22:26
21:20 Southampton Central to Westbury due 22:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a collision at a level crossing yesterday.

Additional 21:20 Southampton Central to Westbury due 22:26 will be starting late at Southampton Central and is expected to be 1 minute late but is expected to be on time from Romsey.
Will be formed of 1 coach.
This is due to a problem currently under investigation.

Earlier it was showing just a short run.  However, the switch to the 153 has probably resulted in it needing to be flagged up as a cancellation and new train.    At 18:48 from Swindon, capacity will be adequate - it's the two previous trains from Swindon (15:12 and 17:36) which are routinely full and standing when (almost always as yet) run by a 153.

153s are (or were) restricted south of Southampton due to tunnel clearance (but they can go to Eastleigh via Chandler's Ford).  There's also an issue with them through one of the platforms at Salisbury I believe, so the new train is 9O00 rather than 2O00 to remind the signallers that it's a bit special.

143s are not allowed south of Warminster - not that one's got there in a while!

That's right, Graham. 153s are barred from platform 3 at Salisbury .

THE 60-year-old man who died at a level crossing in Frampton Mansell, has been named as Colin Cameron, from Stroud.

Colin Cameron, aged 60, died when his Land Rover was struck by a train at the crossing at around 3pm on Tuesday, February 7.

A post-mortem into Mr Cameron’s death yesterday (February 9) revealed he died from multiple injuries and a file is being prepared for the coroner.

We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic death of one of the founders of Stroudco Food Hub. Colin was killed last Tuesday in a terrible accident on a rail crossing at his farm in Frampton Mansell.

Colin was one of the handful of producer members who helped to set up Stroudco in 2006. He produced beef and eggs on his smallholding at Viaduct Farm between Stroud and Cirencester. Not only was Colin a producer member he also did some of his shopping at Stroudco – being a great fan of the pork from Stroud Community Agriculture.

Colin built both of the Stroudco sheds – the first one at Parliament school (as was) and the current one at Stroud Valleys school. He was a fine craftsman and took great pride in constructing buildings to the highest quality.

Colin has also been a director of the Stroudco Community Interest Company right from the start until his tragic death. He will be greatly missed.

[continues]

A Landrover driver who was killed when he was hit by a train on a level crossing had been given the all clear to drive over the track by a railway signalman, a coroner heard today.

Farmer Colin Cameron, 60, of Bisley rd, Stroud, Glos, died on February 7 last year as he used the  unmanned crossing at Frampton Mansell, nr Cirencester, Gloucestershire. One of his dogs also died.

Today Gloucestershire coroner Katie Skerrett held a pre-inquest hearing to discuss with lawyers what issues the jury will have to consider when the full inquest is held on a date to be fixed between April and June this year.

During today's hearing it emerged that Mr Cameron had stopped at the crossing and spoken on the phone to the nearest signalman.

He allegedly told the signalman that a train had passed by not long before. He was then allegedly told it was clear for him to drive across - but was then hit by an inter-city express and killed.

The coroner said it appeared to her that the key issues for the jury would be what Mr Cameron told the signalman about a train having passed recently and the signalman's reliance on that information when giving the go ahead to cross.

Barrister Sarah Le Fevre, representing Mr Cameron's family, told the coroner "Users (of the crossing) cannot be left to their own devices and are necessarily reliant on instructions given by Network Rail's signaller.

"There were three pieces of information which were available to the signaller or should have been available to him.

"If he had applied them he would have known that there was a train in the immediate approach to the crossing.

"One of those pieces of information was that the train itself had stopped at a red signal and had restarted upon the permission of this same signal box.

"That train could not have travelled that distance before Colin got there and asked for permission to cross.

"Secondly, there are two different light systems in the signal box, a red light system and a white light system. The red light system was working and it showed the signaller which bit of track the train was within.  It would have shown that the train which hit Colin was within a relatively short section of railway that took 4 minutes to traverse from one end to the other.

"That information was known in the signal box.

"The white light system was out of action at the time of the accident. It was repaired immediately after the accident.

"It would have shown the signaller whether the train was in or not in the Sapperton Long Tunnel, from which it comes out just 30 yards before this crossing.

"We say that there were three pieces of information that either were or could and should have been available to the signaller so as to properly inform Colin that it would not be safe for him to cross when the instruction was given for him to cross.

"He would have had information that would have told him (the signalman) for sure that there was a train coming."

The coroner said "We will have to focus on what was said between Colin and the signalman; what Colin said from his point of view.

"Also, we will look at the issue of what information was available to the signaller. And also the appropriateness of the signaller's response.

"Was it appropriate for him to be relying on information provided by the user, Colin."

The coroner also discussed with Ms Le Fevre and Network Rail's lawyer, Richard Crockford, what witnesses should be called to give evidence at the inquest.

She said that while it is not mandatory for her to empanel a jury to hear the case she had decided to do so. Ms Le Febre had submitted that a jury would be mandatory because the death occurred in a working environment.

The coroner stressede that the inquest would not be considering the safety or otherwise of such crossings in general. It would focus on the specific incident that day.

Witnesses would include the train driver and also Katie Rowan, who had been a passenger in Mr Cameron's vehicle but was standing outside it when the accident happened, she said.

A post-mortem into Mr Cameron's death has revealed he died from multiple injuries.

After the tragedy the vice chairman of Sapperton and Frampton Mansell parish council Charles Houldsworth called for extra safety precautions at the crossing.

Following the death of motorcyclist Paul Martin in 2014 safety recommendations made by investigators were put into operation but Mr Houldsworth says more is needed to prevent further tragedies.

At today's hearing Mr Crockford told the coroner that the crossing is one of many of its kind that Network Rail would like to close if legally possible.

Such unmanned crossings were installed in the mid 19th century to preserve the rights of way across the railway when it was being built, he said.

The Sapperton crossing had been used for a trial of a new system whereby there would be a red light showing on the crossing at all times and a driver would have to get out and press a button,whereupon the light would turn green if it was safe to cross, he said.

However, that had not been adopted because it was 'found not to have the safety integrity required.'

2G83 has reported striking a person just after Frampton Mansell UWC
...
2G83 has reported the person was hit at Frampton Mansell footpath crossing
40 passengers on 2G83 including two doctors and a off duty Police Officer
The driver has been checked over by one of the Doctors
...
Declared non-suspicious deliberate act at 1340hrs
...

UPDATED: Woman hit by train near Frampton Mansell

Transport police have confirmed that a woman died after being hit a train near Frampton Mansell yesterday lunchtime.

British Transport Police responded to a report that a woman had been hit by a train at 12.37pm yesterday afternoon.

Local police and ambulance crews also attended, but the casualty was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigating officers are not treating the death as suspicious and a file is currently being prepared for the coroner.

First Great Western reported severe delays and cancellations following the incident.

One woman who contacted the SNJ from another stationery train on the line described the situation as "heartbreaking".

The incident occured nearly one year after Colin Cameron died when his Land Rover was hit by a train on a railway crossing at Frampton Mansell.

A man died when his vehicle was hit by an express train on a level crossing after he gave "incorrect information" to a signalman, an inquest heard.

Colin Cameron's Land Rover was struck by the London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa service at Frampton Mansell, near Stroud, in February 2017.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded by the jury.