12.01.15
RAIB to investigate Croydon Tramlink derailment
An investigation into the derailment of a tram on the Croydon Tramlink system has been launched by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
The tram, which was travelling from New Addington to Wimbledon on 29 December 2014, derailed shortly after leaving the Mitcham Junction tram stop. It has been reported that the incident was due to a set of spring-operated points being incorrectly set.
There were about 20 passengers, plus the driver, on board, but no-one was hurt.
To the west of Mitcham Junction tram stop, the single tram line becomes two lines at a set of spring-operated points.
“On leaving the tram stop, the tram driver noticed that an indicator, which shows the position of these points, was indicating that the points were not correctly set,” a statement on the RAIB’s website said.
“He stopped the tram before reaching the points, and after speaking to the tramway control room by radio, he left the tram and used an operating lever to manually move the points until he observed that the indicator was showing that they were correctly set.
“He then drove the tram slowly over the points, but the centre bogie and one wheelset of the trailing bogie became derailed.”
The RAIB added that the focus of its investigation will be on the points mechanism and the way it behaves in degraded operating conditions. The RAIB’s investigation will be carried out independently of any investigations by the safety authority or the railway industry.
Sharon Thompson, TfL's director of trams, said: “No one was injured during the incident and all passengers were safely removed from the tram. An investigation into what caused the incident is currently underway.”
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