Report 35/2007: Collision at Swanage station
Collision at Swanage station, Doset, 16 November 2006.
On 16 November 2006 an engineer’s train carrying out a shunting movement entered platform 2 at Swanage and collided with a rake of carriages that were stabled there. Two members of Swanage Railway personnel were injured, though neither required hospital treatment. The locomotive and one carriage sustained damage to the buffers and surrounding bodywork.
The immediate cause of the collision was that the locomotive driver did not register the signalled route of the train when he checked the signal before starting the train move. There was one causal factor and two contributory factors to the incident, plus three observations regarding the operational safety of the Swanage Railway that did not contribute to the collision.
RAIB has made two recommendations as a result of its investigation, and three recommendations to address other matters observed during the investigation. These are aimed at:
- amending the Swanage Railway Rule Book
- improving safety critical communication
- medical standards for drivers
- improving the safety of staff
- illuminating vehicles when stabled in Swanage platform.
Response to recommendations:
- RAIB will periodically update the status of recommendations as reported to us by the relevant safety authority or public body.
- RAIB may add comment, particularly if we have concerns regarding these responses.