The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has released its initial findings after an LNER Azuma crashed into an LNER HST in Leeds.
At about 21:40 on Wednesday 13 November 2019, an empty passenger train, a Class 800 Azuma, which was approaching the depot at Neville Hill in Leeds, caught up and collided with the rear of another empty passenger train, a Class 43 HST, moving into the depot on the same track.
The low-speed movement of trains close together is permitted by the signalling system at this location.
The leading train was travelling at around 5 mph and the colliding train at around 14 mph. No one was injured in the accident.
The colliding train was a 9-coach class 800 train. Its leading end suffered significant damage during the collision.
The second train was a Class 43 High Speed Train set comprising 9 coaches and a class 43 locomotive at each end. The trailing class 43 locomotive on this train also suffered significant damage.
As a result of the collision, the trailing bogie of the second and third coaches and the trailing axle of the fourth coach on the class 800 train, derailed to the right in the direction of travel.
The RAIB will be carrying out a thorough investigation and will identify the sequence of events which led to the accident and the factors that contributed to its consequences. The investigation will consider:
- the actions, training and competence of the staff involved
- the design and validation of the class 800 train, including the ergonomics of its cab, its crashworthiness performance and its resistance to derailment in collision scenarios
- any underlying factors
We will keep you any updates as and when they come in.
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My believe it could be driver error. But don’t want to cause any speculation. The damage of the HST could take weeks to be repaired.
I’m looking forward to reading the report, I don’t work on the main railway, but have a big interest. My curiosity is how come some bogies derailed in this incident, it crosses my mind of how it would cope concerning the bogies at high speed, should, heaven forbid the 800 runs into an obstruction on a crossing. I’m sure this will be taken into account at some stage.
Oh dear…in the unlikely event of a complete brake failure on the 800 I have a feeling someone was’nt paying attention…! Factoring-in all aspects/repercussions this was a very expensive low-speed collision.