Train driver Shaun Burton, who died in a crash near Bedford on Friday, passed a red signal moments before the collision, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said.
A train driver killed in a crash in Bedfordshire passed a red signal moments before the collision, investigators said. Shaun Burton, 60, died when the East Midlands Railway (EMR) train he was driving hit the back of a stationary train run by the same operator.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said in an interim report that Mr Burton’s train proceeded past a red signal near the scene of the crash in Elstow, near Bedford at 5.15pm on Friday (June 19)
It added that “it is not yet possible to say what indication the driver received” from automatic warning system (AWS) equipment fitted to the train. The report said that the stationary train that was hit had come to an unexpected stop after developing a fault.
Some 162 people were injured, 102 of whom needed hospital treatment. Fifty-three remain in hospital, including eight in a critical condition.
The train which crashed into the back of a stationary train near Bedford on Friday was travelling at 49mph at the point of the collision, analysis of black box data showed.
Images from a forward-facing CCTV camera on Mr Burton’s train show a signal near the scene of the crash “was displaying a red aspect as the train approached and then passed it”, the RAIB said.
The RAIB said the brakes were applied nine seconds before the crash at which point the train was travelling at 76mph.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has thanked investigators after an interim report into Friday’s train crash was published, as she vowed to “leave no stone unturned to understand what happened”.
She said: “My deepest sympathies remain with everyone affected by Friday’s tragic collision, and in particular with the family of the driver who lost his life and those who remain in hospital. My heartfelt thanks go to every person who responded so bravely and professionally in the most difficult of circumstances.
“I want to thank the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) for providing an update on their investigation so far, which will help us begin to understand the sequence of events that led to the incident. The report makes clear there is still much to establish, and the full investigation will provide the answers and recommendations everyone affected deserves.
“Our railway is one of the safest in the world, and while incidents like this are incredibly rare, when they do occur we will leave no stone unturned to understand what happened. The RAIB will publish their full report in due course and I will consider those findings with the utmost care and take any action necessary.
“Until then I ask the RAIB be given the space to complete their work thoroughly and speculation is avoided so we can establish the full picture and ensure the right steps are taken in response.”
The boss of East Midlands Railway (EMR) has said the company will continue to co-operate fully with the investigation into Friday’s crash.
Managing director Will Rogers said: “Following the publication of investigation update from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), we are fully committed to working as an industry to support the continuing investigation.
“We are deeply sorry that this has happened on our railway. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with those affected, particularly EMR driver Shaun Burton, who tragically lost his life.
“While any incident like this is extremely serious, Britain’s railway remains one of the safest in the world, with fatal accidents extremely rare relative to the 1.7 billion journeys made each year. Independent comparisons continue to rank the network among the safest in Europe.
“Given the complexity of the issues being examined, it is important that the independent investigation is allowed to reach its conclusions. As the investigation remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment on specific findings or speculate on the circumstances surrounding the accident before all of the evidence has been examined.
“We will continue to co-operate fully with the RAIB and Office of Rail and Road (ORR), and await the findings of the final report before commenting further.
“Our focus remains on supporting those affected by the incident while continuing to work with the relevant authorities and carefully considering any recommendations identified through the investigation process.
“We will do everything we can to ensure this never happens again.”
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