Pulse.Assent

R162018_181009_Peckham_Rye

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Summary

At 18:46 hrs on Tuesday 7 November 2017, a London Overground service from Dalston Junction to Battersea Park, operated by Arriva Rail London, came to a stand shortly before reaching Peckham Rye station. A faulty component on the train had caused the brakes to apply, and the driver was unable to release them. There were about 450 passengers on the train.

The train driver spoke over the railway radio system to the service controller, train technicians, and the signaller. Following these conversations he began, with the assistance of a member of staff from Peckham Rye station, to evacuate the passengers from the train via the door at the right-hand side of the driver’s cab at the front of the train. This involved passengers climbing down vertical steps to ground level, very close to the live electric conductor rail (third rail) and walking along the side of the line for about 30 metres to Peckham Rye station.

Soon afterwards, an operations manager from Govia Thameslink Rail, which manages Peckham Rye station, contacted the member of station staff and realised where they were and what was happening. The operations manager immediately instructed the driver to stop the evacuation, and requested that he contact the signaller and his company’s controller for further instructions. The driver, after further advice from control room based train technicians, isolated various train safety systems, and found that he was eventually able to release the brakes and move the train forward into Peckham Rye station, arriving at about 19:44 hrs. It was then possible for all the remaining passengers to leave the train normally, and it proceeded, empty, to the depot at New Cross Gate. No-one was hurt in the incident.

The incident occurred because the driver initiated the detrainment of passengers without the traction current being switched off. He did this because he was given instructions by control room staff who had misunderstood the actual location of the stranded train. The train driver and the signaller did not reach a clear understanding about the actions that were required to safely detrain the passengers. The delay caused unrest among the passengers on the train and contributed to stress and task overload of the driver, which affected his decision making. The driver’s experience and skills did not enable him to cope with these demands, and Network Rail did not effectively implement its own procedures for managing an incident involving a stranded train.

Underlying factors were that Arriva Rail London strategic command and Network Rail signalling staff were not adequately prepared to manage the incident, and the railway industry standards and procedures relating to stranded trains place little emphasis on the need for practical training for those involved. The RAIB also observed that there were a number of deficiencies in the training and briefing of staff and in the ARL control room arrangements.

Recommendations

The RAIB has made three recommendations, directed to Arriva Rail London and Network Rail, intended to improve the response of the railway industry to train failures and other abnormal events, and has identified three learning points relating to the importance of following the correct procedures when preparing to evacuate passengers from trains, ensuring that communications are properly understood, and passing on the details of incidents promptly and effectively.

Simon French, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said:

“Minor technical faults on trains are a daily reality on the railways, but sometimes these minor events, if not identified and dealt with promptly, can quickly develop into a potential safety incident. On this occasion misunderstandings and confusion resulted in passengers being told to leave the safety of a train, climb down vertical steps above a live electric rail, and walk in darkness along an overgrown path to a station. About eighty people went through this before the evacuation was stopped, and it is very fortunate that no-one was hurt.

“When dealing with this type of incident, a train driver has many tasks to perform, and as we all know stress can sometimes affect our ability to function properly. Unfortunately, over recent years there have been a number of incidents on the railway in which train drivers have not been adequately supported when managing a difficult situation in unfamiliar circumstances. It is essential that on these occasions the signaller, train driver, any other involved staff (whether on the train or on the ground) and the various control rooms all work together to coordinate their activities to ensure the needs of passengers are recognised, and the train driver is supported to ensure that the incident is effectively and efficiently resolved.

“Following previous incidents, the railway industry has put in place policies for managing incidents in which trains become stranded. This incident has shown that when things go wrong, these policies may not be effective. One reason for this is that the people who have to put the necessary arrangements into operation do not get the opportunity to practise the procedures. We are recommending that, both locally and nationally, the incident management arrangements should be reviewed, and processes put in place to exercise them regularly. It’s not enough to have a plan – it must work when it is needed, and if it has never been practised the chances are it won’t work.”

Notes to editors

1. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
2. RAIB operates, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner. While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry, we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway, we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible, and certainly long before publication of our final report.
3. For media enquiries, please call 01932 440015.

Newsdate: 9 October 2018

The images will be released at Birmingham Library at the first of a series of public engagement events during October, which give people the opportunity to see the new designs and give feedback.

Curzon Street station in central Birmingham will be the first brand new intercity station built in Britain since the 19th century, and create a new landmark for the city and boost opportunities for regeneration in the city. Opening with 7 high speed platforms in 2026, the new station will not only be for high speed rail passengers, it will be a brand new public space in Birmingham city centre. It will be fully integrated into an extended tram network, as well as offering pedestrian, cycle, taxi, bus and conventional rail connections to the rest of the city and the wider West Midlands.

Interchange station will be a new major gateway station for the region, part of a new public transport interchange serving Solihull, the West Midlands, Birmingham Airport and the NEC. The station will help deliver longer term development and growth proposals for the area around the station, including new homes, business space and jobs.

HS2 is also considering a number of extra elements to the scheme put forward by the Urban Growth Company (UGC) which aim to maximise the opportunities the new HS2 Interchange Station presents as a key catalyst for growth.

WSP UK Ltd, working with Grimshaw Architects LLP is designing Curzon Street and Arup is designing Interchange station.

Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, and Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, marked the start of works on the site of the future Curzon Street station last week. Works are well underway on 60 sites across the route from London to Birmingham, with over 7,000 jobs supported by the programme across the country on our way to 30,000 jobs at peak construction.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:

These brand new stations will be catalysts for regeneration, creating jobs and opportunities for local people and economic benefits for Birmingham and the Midlands. Curzon Street station will put Birmingham at the heart of Britain’s new high speed network and enhance the rail connectivity for the city, whilst Interchange provides a once in a life time opportunity to help drive the growth of the region.

HS2 Ltd CEO, Mark Thurston, said:

Both of these new stations will be transformational for the Midlands and will create opportunities for regeneration, growth and economic benefits for the city and region. Preparatory work for the stations is well under way, with a variety of enabling works including the construction of access roads and archaeological investigations.

As part of our plans to deliver a ‘green corridor’ across the whole route, we’re also creating new ecological habitats, community and amenity spaces to help integrate the new line and our stations into the surrounding landscape and environment. All of this activity is already creating job opportunities not just in the region, but across the whole country.

Sir John Peace, Midlands Engine Chairman, said:

HS2 is already a huge part of the Midlands’ success story, bringing jobs and investment with it. These pioneering new station buildings will showcase a rail revolution which has our transformed region at its core.

HS2 will be one of the most celebrated infrastructure projects in the world when trains start rolling in to Interchange and Curzon Street in 2026, with a regenerative ripple effect that will be felt across the Midlands. I can’t wait to see the stations take shape.

Both stations have been designed with features to make it easy and simple for passengers to navigate the stations, access the platforms and connect seamlessly to other forms of transport.

HS2 Minister, Nusrat Ghani, said:

Birmingham will be at the heart of HS2, and the transformation that is already taking place shows exactly how our new high-speed railway will drive forward regeneration and economic growth across the country.

Unveiling the station designs for Curzon Street and the Solihull Interchange is a milestone moment. These stations will be catalysts for local jobs and new homes, as well as giving passengers access to thousands more seats, more services and better journeys.

We also want HS2 to set a new benchmark for truly inclusive travel, creating a railway that works for everyone. The task for our designers and engineers is now to take these ideas from the drawing board to reality, building iconic stations that are accessible, safe and open to all, no matter their needs.

Carol Stitchman, WSP Design Manager on Curzon Street, said:

As well as being a catalyst for regeneration, the new HS2 Curzon Street station will become a landmark destination, welcoming people to the heart of Birmingham. Our design recognises the station’s function as a place of arrival and connection. It is the only HS2 station that welcomes you with a view of the city, where you can see the city from the train, and the train from the city.

WSP has welcomed 16 new apprentices to the Curzon Street station project, as part of our 140-strong project team. We are committed to boosting the skills of Britain’s next generation while delivering this transformative project.

Neven Sidor, Lead Architect, Grimshaws, for Curzon Street station, said:

HS2’s new Curzon Street station is inspired by the best station design of the past, inspired by Britain’s pioneering railway and industrial heritage reimagined for the 21st century. The elegant sleek low arch which will make the station instantly recognisable in the surrounding area and its warm coffered soffit will join the growing list of modern Birmingham icons. The West concourse will have the ambiance of a modern airport terminal with both platform and waiting areas included in the grand arched space. The East concourse has been designed to include the historic Curzon Station building as part of a revitalised New Canal Street scene.

Kim Quazi, Lead Architect, Arup, for Interchange station said:

Interchange station sits within a unique setting, on the edge of the urban landscape in a currently rural location. The station building has been designed to reflect its surroundings and in context with the natural landscape and topography.

The station roof has been designed to fit in with the surrounding landscape, and to optimise natural daylight using an integrated, efficient structural form and rainwater management system. We have also focused on a number of objectives including creating a positive experience for future users and rail passengers by including open space, parkland and views to green spaces, and constructing a green building with low energy consumption and low maintenance.

The series of engagement events for both stations will run through October. These will give people the opportunity to understand HS2’s design vision for the stations, share thoughts on the accessibility and use of the stations, and get more information on the next stages in the design process and planning submissions. More information on the events and locations can be found on HS2’ Commonplace websites: HS2 in Solihull and HS2 in Birmingham.