Train missed staff by seconds after location mix-up

Track workers avoided being struck by a train by two seconds after they unintentionally went to the wrong location, an investigation has found.

The Y197 Northern train was travelling at 78mph (125km/h) from Chesterfield towards Nottingham, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.

A report said the near miss happened about 2.4 miles (3.9km) north of Alfreton railway station at 07:26 GMT on 27 November 2024.

Investigators said: "The near miss occurred because the controller of site safety (COSS) unintentionally blocked a section of line at Codnor Park Junction, while the group were on site at Morton Junction."

The RAIB said when the line blockage was being arranged, neither the signaller nor the COSS had realised the group was not at the location that was to be blocked by the protecting signals.

The COSS, a role which ensures safe practice for work on or near railway tracks, reported they had "unknowingly used a safe work pack (SWP) for a different location" to where the work group was actually located.

A SWP is a plan to ensure a safe system of work is in place before work begins.

As the train approached and sounded its horn, the COSS and two track workers who were standing on the track moved clear of the path of the approaching train with two seconds to spare.

The report said the workers were "obscured from the driver's view" until about five seconds before the train reached them.

This was due to the train approaching them around a curve and because of the poor visibility caused by low light and heavy rain, the report added.

The COSS reported the near miss to the signaller at 07:28. The driver instructor supervising a trainee driver reported the near miss to the signaller when they arrived at Alfreton railway station one minute later.

At 07:31, the signaller rang the COSS to lift the line blockage using the details that had been previously agreed. It was at this point that the COSS realised that the signal numbers used related to Codnor Park Junction, not Morton Junction.

RAIB investigators said: "The near miss occurred because the COSS unintentionally blocked a section of line at Codnor Park Junction, while the group were on site at Morton Junction, around seven miles (11.3 km) to the north, on the same route.

"This meant that the section of track the group was accessing was still open to rail traffic, placing them at risk of being struck.

"Had the COSS used the SWP for this briefing, they would almost certainly have realised that the incorrect pack was being used before the group went on to the track.

"The COSS gave protecting signal numbers and a named location, both of which were repeated back by the signaller. Despite this, the discrepancy between the protecting signals and the location was not noticed by the signaller, who granted the line blockage."

The workers - which comprised the COSS and five track staff - were employed by Network Rail as local maintenance staff.

A Network Rail spokesperson added: "After the near miss at Morton Junction in November, an investigation was carried out, resulting in a number of actions and recommendations for improvement.

"A safety stand-down was held, with front-line staff being involved in discussions about the lessons learned.

"The safety of our colleagues, passengers and train crew is our top priority."

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