The train crash at Stafford, England on 4 August 1990 resulted in the death of a train driver and injuries to 36 people.
The 11:36 pm empty coaching stock train from Stoke-on-Trent to Birmingham Soho TMD ran into the rear of the 10:18 pm express passenger train from Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance, which was standing in platform 4 at Stafford station. The empty train was signalled to draw up behind the express in order to clear the way for another train.[1]
The driver of the empty train, who was the only fatality, was considered not to have kept a good lookout. This was possibly compounded by excessive working hours and by the alcohol that was subsequently found in his bloodstream.[2]
The Rule Book was changed to avoid this situation. Now if a train is to be signalled into an occupied section and that train is not booked to call at that location, the driver must be first advised. Also before a train can be signalled behind another, the signal ahead of the stationary train must be at danger until the second train has come to a stand, to avoid potential 'over-reading' of the signal by the second driver.
See also
References
- ↑ Webb, Jonathan (May 2017). "Focus on Stafford". Today's Railways UK. No. 185. Sheffield: Platform 5. pp. 54–55. ISSN 1475-9713.
- ↑ "Railway accident at Stafford" (PDF). railwaysarchive.co.uk. Health and Safety Executive. 5 January 1994. p. 14. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
External links
52°48′12″N 2°7′21″W / 52.80333°N 2.12250°W