An investigation into a train derailment in South Cumbria has revealed the cause of the incident.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch launched the investigation last year after a train travelling at 56mph derailed crossing over a section of unsupported track, which gave way as the train passed over it in Grange-over-Sands on Friday, March 22 2024.
A void had opened up in the embankment on which the train was travelling, which led to the rails under the train losing support.
Four passengers and four members of staff had to be evacuated from the train, all were safe and uninjured, but the incident caused significant damage to both the train and railway infrastructure.
Investigations have since found that the void had been created by water that has dislodged the embankment material and carried it away.
The water came from a pipe partially buried beneath the railway, which had been damaged during routine maintenance around two days before the derailment.
While the damage to the pipe had been reported immediately to the railway control room by maintenance staff involved – no action was taken to stop the leak.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said: “As a result of ineffective communications, no action was taken to stop the consequent leak.
“The pipe had been installed by Network Rail in 2016 as a temporary measure to assist in managing flood water in the surrounding areas, but on-call engineering staff were unaware that it was in use and carrying water at the time it was damaged.
“Underlying factors to the accident were that those responsible for managing flood water at this location had not done so effectively, leading to the prolonged need to rely on temporary pumping arrangements.
“RAIB also identified that staffing levels at Network Rail’s Carnforth maintenance delivery unit did not provide sufficient resilience and had allowed non-compliance with the standards relating to the management of tamping to become normalised.
“In addition, Network Rail had allowed a temporary pumping arrangement to become permanent without applying the relevant asset management procedures.”
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has since made five recommendations as a result of the investigation into the derailment.
The first three recommendations have been made to Network Rail. The first aims to reduce the risk associated with temporary drainage solutions which remain in place for longer than anticipated.
internal fittings of the power cable discovered post derailment. Picture: Rail Accident Investigation Branch
The second asks Network Rail to review how it can improve the ability of tamper operators to detect buried services. The third aims to reduce the likelihood that buried services are struck during maintenance by ensuring staffing levels are adequate to comply with Network Rail’s own procedures.
The fourth recommendation has been made to the Environment Agency, and other local stakeholders, and aims to encourage timely decision-making in relation to the future of the area so that the management of flood water does not manifest in another risk to the railway.
The final recommendation is addressed to Eversholt Rail Leasing Limited, the owner of the train involved, and aims to reduce the risk of a derailed train being struck by a train on the adjacent line due to a failure of communications and warning systems.
Additionally, RAIB has identified three learning points. These include:
- Track workers are reminded of the importance of completing required site visits ahead of planned work to mark up obstructions.
- Staff are reminded of the importance of being readily contactable when on-call.
- Railway controllers are encouraged to escalate issues where the first line on-call staff are not available.
Andrew Hall, chief inspector of rail accidents said: “Derailments of passenger trains are thankfully rare. The elements that came together and led to the derailment at Grange-over-Sands include some factors that have been seen in previous RAIB investigations.
“In this case, Victorian infrastructure, increasing rainfall, a known flood water management problem which multiple parties had not fully resolved over years, ineffective communication and a short-term fix effectively becoming the permanent solution, all played a part.
“As the railway’s infrastructure will continue to age, and given the challenges of climate change, the importance of avoiding the other factors is ever more vital if such derailments are to remain a rarity.”
