Posted 17th June 2016 | 4 Comments
Derailment closes Paddington station
GREAT WESTERN and Heathrow services are still disrupted this morning after an empty unit became derailed on the station throat last night.
GWR said track and overhead equipment had been damaged by the incident, although no one was hurt.
All services came to a halt last night, but four of the six lines had been opened by around 08.00 today.
However, GWR warned that 'significant disruption' would continue today while the track is cleared and repaired.
Some suburban services from the outer Thames Valley are terminating at Reading, and there are no Heathrow Connect trains. Other services to Bristol, south Wales and the west of England are also reduced, with some trains cancelled.
An investigation into the cause of the low-speed derailment has been launched.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Paul Train, Birkenhead
So very lucky, nobody was hurt especially the driver, but questions need to be answered why the gantry was at or near a set of catch points and why was a SPAD allowed to happen again at Paddington.
Its going to be a long hard and difficult job for NR to sort out the repairs, and best of luck to those staff tasked with the job.
Neil Palmer, Waterloo
David - in the station throat at about 5mph there wouldn't have been anything serious about it if passengers were on board.
Roger C, Darlington
Cause of derailment was train passing signal at red - SPAD.
Cause of damage was badly designed infrastructure where catch points throw train into OHL support.
David Ryder, Camberley
I'm pleased as Punch that nothing more than just damage to the track and overhead line equipment occurred. If passengers had been on the moving unit, the news could have been more serious.