RAIB report released into the runaway of two wagons from Camden Road tunnel on 19 July 2007

RAIB report released into the runaway of two wagons from Camden Road tunnel on 19 July 2007

LONDON, May, 22, 2008/3mnewswire.org/ -- The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) released its report today into the runaway of two wagons from Camden Road Tunnel following the failure of the coupling between the wagons and the rest of the train. There were no injuries or damage caused.

The full report into the incident is available here:
http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_2008/report122008.cfm

A summary of the key points from the report is included below:

Summary

When the 20:10hrs English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) freight train from Angerstein Wharf to London St Pancras Churchyard Sidings started from a signal at the south end of Camden Road Tunnel, the coupling broke between the second and third wagons from the back of the train. Fifty minutes later the brakes on the two separated wagons ceased to hold them against the gradient, and they ran slowly towards St Pancras for about 200 - 300 metres, then reversing before coming to rest about 140 metres from where they had started.

Causal and contributory factors included that the driver and signaller were not following the rule book requirements concerning trains where couplings had broken or had a missing tail lamp, the condition of the brakes fitted to the runaway wagons, and the breakage of the coupling because part of the material it was made from was outside specification.

Recommendations

The RAIB has made six recommendations directed at EWS, and one at Network Rail. These relate to drivers' actions following a train division, the maintenance of wagons, reducing the number of EWS train divisions occurring and improving the way that signallers' actions in response to accidents and incidents are practiced and assessed.

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