Person hit by train, Taunton 24/10/2025 - Harry Basham, age 17, walking to work

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

At approximately 0655 on 24th October 2025 a person was struck by 1S37, a CrossCountry service from Plymouth to Edinburgh. The location was the '5/13' foot crossing about a mile east of Taunton station. Major disruption for the rest of the morning with both directions closed for several hours.

'5/13' is a foot crossing with kissing gates each side. No miniature lights or interlocking. Line speed is nominally 100mph but nearly all trains will be accelerating away from, or braking for, Taunton East Junction and the station. The train involved had just departed Taunton.

Confirmed fatality later in the morning.

[TaplowGreen]

RIP

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/brilliant-funny-boy-dies-westcountry-10598642?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

[Chris from Nailsea]

Very sad.

[JayMac]

Yes. RIP.

I've just learnt that I went to school, same year and shared subject classes, with the father of the victim. I had a pint with him the week before last and we chatted about our respective offspring. Such sad, devastating news.

BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release if you'd prefer not to have all of the adverts and pop-ups from the Local World website.

https://www.btp.police.uk/news/btp/news/england/family-of-brilliant-and-funny-teenager-who-died-on-the-railway-pay-tribute-to-him/

[Chris from Nailsea]

Harry Basham, age 17.

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RIP.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[JayMac]

Harry's father Trevor has posted on Facebook a reply to comments on a Local World (Somerset Live) news item about the I
incident. Many people in the comments were making assumptions about mental health.

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An inquest has opened and been adjourned to a later date.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thank you for posting that update here, JayMac.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[JayMac]

Here's Harry and his dad in happier times, appearing on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)'s Children In Need in 2019.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07v4c2q

[JayMac]

The inquest into Harry's death will take place in May 2026.

Meanwhile a petition to improve safety at, or close, the 5/13 foot crossing has been set up in Harry's memory.
https://www.change.org/p/improve-safety-at-5-13-railway-foot-crossing-or-close-it-down-in-memory-of-harry-basham

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thank you for your update here on the Coffee Shop forum, JayMac. 

Bearing in mind my somewhat lifelong interest in the safety (or otherwise) of railway road level and pedestrian foot crossings, I shall investigate that link and probably offer some input to their petition.

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Mum of boy killed at Taunton rail crossing calls for change

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Leanne Golding said her son Harry Basham used the crossing regularly to get to work

The mother of a boy killed on a pedestrian railway crossing is calling for urgent safety improvements to "stop others going through" the same.

Harry Basham, 17, was struck by a train in Taunton, Somerset just before 07:00 GMT on 24 October as he walked to work.

His mum Leanne Golding wants to see changes before her son's inquest takes place in May, saying "lighting needs to be in place, a traffic light system and gates that lock".

Network Rail has described what happened as a "tragic accident" and said it will "engage with local authorities, stakeholders and the community on the future of the crossing".

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Harry Basham's family wants to see safety improvements at the foot crossing in Taunton

Golding said her son would have walked across the foot crossing "hundreds of times" to get to and from work. "It would have been pitch black that morning, nothing is lit up. The gates don't lock, you don't know when the train's coming. We're not here to blame anyone, we just don't want it to happen to anyone else," she added.

Network Rail said train drivers were instructed to sound their horn at some crossings and it urged people to be alert. Trackside signs, known as whistle boards, instruct train drivers to warn pedestrians they are approaching, but Golding said the family were not sure at what time in the morning drivers start sounding their horns.

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Tributes to Harry Basham have been left near the foot crossing

A petition calling for safety improvements at the crossing has been set up on Change.org by family friend Vicky Butland. "I just hugely believe it would have prevented this tragedy if these safety measures were in place. I am doing this in Harry's name. It's a huge loss of life and we will forever remember him," she added.

The family's campaign is being supported by the Liberal Democrat MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) for Taunton and Wellington Gideon Amos. "Ideally I would like to see an alternative crossing, an underpass or a footbridge. I am meeting with Network Rail next week so that we can discuss what the options are," Amos added.

In a statement, Network Rail said: "Our thoughts are with Harry's family and friends and the local community following the tragic accident at the 5/13 railway crossing. Network Rail will of course co-operate with the inquest and any relevant investigations as is appropriate," it added.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) said it sent a team of inspectors to the scene at the time of the incident. A spokesperson added: "RAIB has submitted a report summarising the evidence gathered during our preliminary examination to His Majesty's Coroner. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this tragic accident," they added.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) meets rail bosses over Taunton foot crossing where boy died

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An MP has met rail bosses to discuss what can be done to improve safety after a teenage boy was killed on a railway foot crossing.

Harry Basham, 17, was struck by a train in Taunton, Somerset, as he walked to work at about 07:00 BST on 24 October.

Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington, said he recently had a "constructive" meeting with Network Rail, which has described what happened as "a tragic accident".

His mother, Leanne Golding, wants to see changes before her son's inquest takes place in May, including a traffic light system and locking gates.

Amos said Network Rail provided data which showed the foot crossing was used about 35 times on an average day. He said the operator did not consider this heavy usage. He said: "I've asked for them to look at convenient alternative ways to cross the railway on foot, and most importantly, for consultation before any decision is taken for this crossing to be closed or kept open."

Golding said her son would have walked across the foot crossing "hundreds of times" to get to and from work. "There are so many ways someone can make a mistake down there, especially in the dark like it was that morning," she added.

A petition set up by a family friend calling for safety improvements has been signed more than 3,600 times.

In a statement, Network Rail said its thoughts were with Harry's family, friends and the local community. "We are in contact with Mr Amos and will engage with local authorities, stakeholders and the community on the future of the crossing," it added.

A spokesperson for the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch)) said: "RAIB has submitted a report summarising the evidence gathered during our preliminary examination to His Majesty's Coroner. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this tragic accident," they added.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Safety review after Harry Basham's death at Taunton rail crossing

A woman calling for improved safety measures at a railway foot crossing following the death of a teenage boy says it is still dangerous and "urgent change" is needed.

Harry Basham, 17, was struck by a train in Taunton, Somerset, as he walked to work at about 07:00 BST on 24 October.

A Network Rail spokesperson said it was carrying out a review to understand how the crossing is used and "whether the current arrangement remains suitable in the longer term, or whether alternatives need to be considered".

Basham family friend Vicky Butland, who set up a petition calling for improvements, said the review has taken longer than expected and "someone else could be killed" if the crossing stays open. Butland added: "It's just a tragedy that no family should have to go through. Everyone's broken from it."

In January, Harry's mother Leanne Golding, said she wanted to see changes before her son's inquest takes place, including a traffic light system and locking gates.

Network Rail said as part of the review, it was monitoring how the crossing is used at different times of the year to help "understand patterns of use and identify any potential safety risks".

"Safety is our top priority and we will continue to keep the local community informed as the review progresses," Network Rail added.

Earlier this year, Gideon Amos, the Liberal Democrat MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) for Taunton and Wellington, met Network Rail bosses to discuss safety at the site. In a statement he said: "I will continue to work with both Network Rail and Somerset Council to seek the best outcome for local residents which ensures rights of way are maintained and the public can safely access routes through this area for work and leisure."

A spokesperson for the regulator, the Office for Rail and Road (ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)), said: "level crossings must be designed around people - not the other way round. That means understanding how they are used in reality and ensuring there are controls and clear warnings in place to reduce risk."

They added: "Our thoughts remain with the family of the teenager and everyone affected by this tragic incident."

[ChrisB]

If she's not careful, NR^» (Network Rail - home page) will simply just close the crossing permanently.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Teen's rail crossing death was accidental - coroner

The death of a teenager who was struck and killed by a train on a pedestrian railway crossing was an accident, a coroner has concluded.

Harry Basham, 17, was hit by the train in Taunton, Somerset, as he walked to work at about 07:00 BST on 24 October 2025.

Somerset senior coroner Samantha Marsh said there was no evidence he "intended to harm himself" but accepted why he was on the track remained "unanswered".

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with Harry's family and friends and the local community following the tragic accident at the 5/13 railway crossing. We will continue our engagement with local authorities, stakeholders and the community on the future of the crossing."

(BBC article continues)