28.11.18
RAIB to investigate LNER train which broke speed limit by 100mph
A LNER train travelling at 120mph on a section of track with an emergency speed restriction of 20mph is being investigated by the RAIB.
The Aberdeen to London King’s Cross service went through the Sandy South Junction in Bedfordshire on 19 October 100mph over the speed limit.
This section of the track had been imposed with an emergency restriction on 18 October after track maintenance staff found a crack in the crossing.
The RAIB said marker boards and automatic warning system magnets were in place to provide warning of the speed restriction, although the train driver had not received any notification of its existence prior to the journey.
No injuries were caused to the service, and no damage was recorded, but the RAIB has launched an investigation into the over-speeding incident and will establish the sequence of events that led the London and North Eastern Railway service to go 100mph above the speed limit.
The RAIB will consider the rules and procedures applicable to the application, implementation and advanced communication of speed restrictions and look at the ways in which train drivers are made aware of the existence of emergency speed restrictions.
The investigation will explore factors influencing the actions of the driver and underlying management factors in the incident, with the results and safety recommendations published on the RAIB website once the investigation is completed.
A spokesperson for LNER said it fully support the RAIB investigation and said it had launched its own internal review into the incident.
The spokesperson said: "Safety is of paramount importance to us and we will implement appropriate measures when we have sight of the findings of the investigation."
Image – CCTV footage taken from the incident train from LNER
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