Devon TRF Group Forum

Harty · Devon's Best

Trail Rider Killed on Railway Crossing

Harty · Devon's Best

Bit of an update from Richard Simpson of the TRF:

It's an unmanned, gated crossing where the road user is supposed to check by phoning the signalman before opening the gates to cross the lines.

The surface is wooden sleepers and is very slippery.

I'm told the person fell, and couldn't get up again in time.

You have little warning of the approach of a train from the east...and some of them are 125s/HSTs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-27372077

jt · Powermonger!!

Very sad news - heard about it at work and thought it could have been 'one of us'.

Have said many times in the past - please, please take care hmm

JC · Clubman B

Very sad indeed. cry

And just to promote public misconception, this from BBC News website this morning:

"A police spokesman said the man was on a "scrambling motorbike" when he was hit by the train which was travelling from Swindon to Gloucester."

ttr steve · Devon's Best

Very sad, gone out for a ride and not going home

doug9270 · Powermonger!!

Very sad indeed, just puts everything we do into perspective.

TTR · Powermonger!!

I feel for the guy and his family!

Can't help thinking of him struggling to get up on the slippery sleepers and seeing the train heading towards him cry

It's odd that "scrambler" and "scrambling" is still in modern parlance and used by folk who probably are too young to have ever watched Grandstand on Saturday afternoons back in the day

doug9270 · Powermonger!!

Probably googled it pure laziness.

TTR · Powermonger!!

For a Wiki explanation of scrambling see here - if motorbikes are mentioned I didn't read down far enough to see it.

Cubber · Expert

In Wiki, Brian, they use SCRAMBLER

Martyn

FBF · Clubman A

Very sad.

Got to wonder at the wooden sleepers as being the best solution, maybe if they had some anti slip coating or something? You would think in this age of technology that there would be some means of automatically warning of a train and its impending approach. Using the phone provided is the obvious solution, but I would guess many cross without phoning.

Could just as easily have been a cyclist, walker, horse and rider. Fact that it was a trail rider makes it closer to home.

Mike Wright · Clubman A

Tragic loss.... What a terrible thing to happen to someone and the family left behind. A sad read indeed.

jt · Powermonger!!

http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_investigations_register/140511_Frampton_Mansell.cfm