Great Western Coffee Shop

It would seem that the lessons of the past have been long forgotten....

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/near-miss-between-a-lorry-and-passenger-train-at-mucking-level-crossing?utm_source=d7b00764-df09-474c-9859-4b22c808ce04&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

...and for those that don't realise what the connection is see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hixon_rail_crash and if you want to understand it in more detail the full inquiry report is here: http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=74

It does seem somewhat ironic that it was a delivery for Network Rail contractors.

Unfortunately forgetting "learnt" lessons from disasters is far from uncommon, especially in the private sector with company re-organisations. Corporate memory is a sadly under valued commodity.

The trouble is that jobs like that can get overloaded with risk assessments, and the real risky bits get buried in the list of tick boxes. I am, and always have been during my 50 year railway career, a great believer in the KISS principle, and fought the present culture over many years, but was constantly outvoted by the 'Experts'.

I'm afraid that 'Corporate Memory Loss' and the 'Tick Box Culture' is something that needs to be seriously managed now, as we are beginning to repeat the lessons of the past.

I would add that the de-skilling and casualisation of the workforce is another factor.

We should be able to depend on the caution and good judgement of those in charge of work sites and operating heavy plant as much as on paper risk assessments and people in suits.

How anyone could use a level crossing as part of a lorry shunting and reversing move amazes me.

OTC

When I was at school (many years ago) my physics master used to talk about irresistible forces meeting immovable objects.  I remember him saying after the Hixon crash that it was probably as close as you could get to that situation in real life.

I did a fascinating OU course called something like Human Factors in System Design basically a study of various disasters to see what lessons could be learnt.

One striking thing was that there was usually a non fatal precursor.

Hixon was one of the disasters it turns out the company had had a lorry stuck on another level crossing but managed to clear the line before it was hit by a train.

Ladbroke Grove is the classic case with 8 previous SPADs of SN109.

 

If I may add a little something S&T.
This link may prove of interest.
https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/in-januarys-issue-tragedy-on-the-west-coast-main-line-ignorance-from-arrogance-in-24-seconds/.

Just to add to the list although not rail.

737 Max 8.