Worker dies on North Yorkshire Moors heritage railway (BBC News 21/05/2012)

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

A rail worker has died after becoming trapped between two trains on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The man died at Grosmont Station on the heritage line at about 12:30 BST, British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) said.

Officers from BTP and North Yorkshire Police attended the incident, which is not believed to be suspicious.

BTP said an investigation had started and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch had been informed. All services are currently suspended.

'Deepest sympathy'

In a statement BTP said: "Paramedics attended, but the man, who is believed to be in his sixties, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"An investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the man's death."

Danielle Bradley, from the North York Moors Railway, said: "Obviously our thoughts and our condolences go out to the family and friends, and our deepest sympathy as well."

All railway staff who were on duty at the time of the accident were being offered support, she added.

The North York Moors Railway is a popular tourist attraction staffed by volunteers, which runs steam trains through National Park moorland on an 18-mile (29km) route from Grosmont to Pickering.

As well as carrying tourists, the line has appeared in a number of films and television programmes, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and the ITV series Heartbeat.

A statement on the railway's website said: "All services are currently suspended due to a serious incident at Grosmont.

"The North Yorkshire Moors Railway apologises for any inconvenience caused."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the British Transport Police press release:

Tribute to Robert Lund - Grosmont Rail Station

British Transport Police today issued a tribute on behalf of the family of Robert Lund (65), who died following an incident at Grosmont rail station on Monday, 21 May.

His family said: ^Robert was a reliable and caring husband and father who was always a keen railway enthusiast and enjoyed playing for the Humberside Police rugby team. He retired as a serving officer from the force in 1997 and continued to work as a civilian until his retirement last year.

^He enjoyed working as a volunteer at the North Yorkshire Moors railway, where he began worked as a ticket inspector before progressing to a train guard.

^We would appreciate peace and quiet to remember Robert during this difficult time.^

The family is still endeavouring to come to terms with this loss and would appreciate the media^s understanding in allowing them to deal with the situation privately.

A British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) spokesman said: ^BTP officers were called to Grosmont rail station on Monday, 21 May following a report of an incident involving a member of staff working on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

^BTP and North Yorkshire Police officers attended the incident which was reported to BTP at 12.30pm, and is believed to be non-suspicious.

^Paramedics also attended but the man, who today can be named as Robert George Lund, aged 65, was pronounced dead at the scene.

^An investigation is still ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding Mr Lund^s death.

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

"A file will be prepared for the coroner."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Rail Accident Investigation Branch website:

Investigation into a fatal accident at Grosmont, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, on 21 May 2012

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) is carrying out an investigation into a fatal accident involving a volunteer member of railway staff who was carrying out guard^s duties on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. This is a standard gauge heritage railway running from Pickering to Grosmont.

The accident occurred at about 12:10 hrs on 21 May 2012, following the uncoupling of a coach from the end of a rake of coaches stabled in one of the platforms at Grosmont. As the uncoupled coach was being drawn off by a steam locomotive working tender first, the direction of the movement changed, causing the locomotive and coach to move back towards the rake of vehicles from which they had been uncoupled. This resulted in the guard, who was carrying out the actions necessary following the uncoupling, being crushed between the coaches.


Image showing the scene of the accident the following day during a reconstruction of the circumstances

The RAIB^s preliminary examination and tests found that when the steam locomotive concerned (an ex Southern Railway S15 class) was working tender first, the reverser could change from reverse to forward gear unless it was prevented from doing so by the operation of a locking device. Should the reverser not be secured in position, any change may not be noticed by the driver and, in these circumstances, would only become evident on opening the regulator, when a change in direction would occur.

The RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigations by the safety authority (the Office of Railway Regulation) or the British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)).

The RAIB will publish its findings, including any learning points to improve safety, at the conclusion of the investigation. This will be available on the RAIB website.

[Chris from Nailsea]

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have now published their full report on their website.

The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) has identified two key learning points relating to the locking of screw reversers and not going between railway vehicles unless they are stationary. It has also made a recommendation to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway relating to the competence management system covering shunting.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Hull Daily Mail:

Family to sue over death of Robert Lund on North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The family of a steam railway volunteer who was crushed to death between carriages are seeking "substantial damages" from the railway, their lawyer said today.

Robert Lund, 65, died almost instantly from "extreme" chest and abdominal injuries on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Mr Lund, of Beverley, was working as a guard when he was fatally injured at Grosmont Station on May 21 last year.

A jury at North Yorkshire Coroner's Court in Scarborough found the father-of-one's death was a tragic accident.

Speaking after the hearing, the family's lawyer Kevin Hughes said: "We've made a claim for damages on behalf of the family, which is currently being considered."

Mr Hughes said the verdict was "expected" and added: "It reinforces our view that a civil claim is likely to produce substantial damages."

The jury heard Mr Lund was helping volunteer train driver Norman Ash shunt and uncouple carriages at the station shortly before the accident.

Mr Lund, a retired Humberside Police officer, unhooked some coaches and signalled the driver to move away, and it is thought he returned to the area between the carriages. However, the locomotive unexpectedly moved off in the wrong direction, Mr Ash told coroner Michael Oakley.

Mr Ash, a retired professional train driver with more than 50 years' experience, said it is possible he did not lock a reversing lever into place, which could have allowed the locomotive to slip between forward and reverse. "I turned round to see which way I was going and the next thing I knew I was going the opposite way," he said. "I never even thought about Mr Lund going back between the coaches."

He said he walked along the platform and saw Mr Lund trapped between two coaches.

Pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper said Mr Lund suffered severe crushing injuries to his chest and abdomen and would have died "very quickly".

Accident investigators told the hearing they had complete confidence in the actions of both Mr Lund and Mr Ash.

Chris Hall, of the Rail Accident Investigation Board, said that Mr Lund would have had "no reason to believe" the train would change direction, which was most likely caused by the driver forgetting to lock the reverse lever.

After the verdict, North Yorkshire Moors Railway expressed its sympathies to Mr Lund's family and said it was "understandable" they had launched civil proceedings.

General manager Philip Benham said Mr Lund's death was "devastating". He said: "I want to say how much we respected Bob Lund. He was dedicated, he gave us a lot of his time and enjoyed his work. There's a feeling of tremendous sympathy for Bob's family and a wish to support them in every way we can. We've looked at how we can strengthen our procedures in light of this tragedy and if we find we can improve safety further, we certainly will."

Mr Lund's widow Patricia said her husband was an avid railway enthusiast who devoted much of his spare time to his hobby. Following the hearing, she said in a statement: "The family takes comfort in the fact that Bob died doing something he loved."