27.03.15
High winds ‘blew freight container off train’ in Cumbria
High winds blew a 30-foot container off a freight train travelling at 75mph on the down mainline in the vicinity of Scout Green, Cumbria, earlier this month, investigators have said.
The empty container, blown off an FEA(B) wagon that formed part of train 4S83 (the 23:54 hrs service from Basford Hall to Coatbridge), passed over the adjacent up main line and came to rest at the bottom of the up side embankment after knocking over trees and a boundary wall.
Although the incident did not result in injuries, the potential for more serious “consequences is evident,” stated the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), which is now carrying out an independent inquiry into the event that occurred on 7 March.
The RAIB added that preliminary investigations suggested the inward hinging spigots fitted to the FEA(B) wagon involved in this incident did not comply with the dimensional tolerances specified in standard UIC 571-4.
It was added that the freight train operator was aware of this and was aiming to control the risk of containers being blown off.
For instance, if winds of over 55mph were forecast, any empty containers should have been pinned down or the maximum train speed reduced to 60mph.
The forecast wind-speeds for Cumbria at the time were less than 55mph, which meant there was no procedural requirement to limit the train’s speed or pin down empty containers. However, local measurements at Shap weather-station, suggest that the actual local wind-speed was around 62mph .
Since the incident, the freight operator has reduced the 55mph wind-speed threshold to 41mph and issued a National Incident Report (NIR) to inform the rest of the railway industry. RAIB has also issued Urgent Safety Advice.
RAIB’s investigation will now consider the sequence of events and factors that led to the incident, including actions taken in response to similar incidents at Hardendale and Cheddington in 2008.
(Image: c. Network Rail)
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