Posted 10th May 2012 | 2 Comments
Driver, passengers unhurt after cattle collision
A COLLISION between a CrossCountry train and a herd of cows on the line near Oxford left 200 passengers stranded for about four hours on 9 May.
It was reported that the unit collided with 12 cows, but the driver and passengers were unhurt. One passenger praised the train staff, saying: "Poor driver, poor farmer and poor poor cows. The train staff have been great. But we're still very much stranded." Later, the train was able to take its passengers to a nearby station after a safety inspection at the scene.
Services on the route were disrupted, and replacement buses provided.
Meanwhile, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has launched an inquiry after a freight train was derailed about 3km south of Aberdeen earlier the same day. The wagons involved were empty, and there are no reports of any injuries. Services in the area were delayed while the line was cleared.
Reader Comments:
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Henry Ormerod, Banbury, Oxfordshire.
This is not the first time that cows have strayed on to this same stretch of railway. About 2 years ago I was in a train between Oxford and Banbury. Fortunately no collision occurred. But our train was stopped for quite a long time while one or more cows were removed from the line a few miles ahead of our train.
James Hutton, Oxford
Should it have taken quite so long to get the poor passengers off the train? Will this be investigated by the RAIB?