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RAIB investigates dangerous incident in June on South Devon Railway (18 July 2017)

Date: 18/07/2017
Duncan Lewis, Personal Injury Solicitors, RAIB investigates dangerous incident in June on South Devon Railway

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating a dangerous incident on the South Devon Railway on 22 June 2017, when a mother and her son entered a public lavatory on board a train and found the floor missing and tracks exposed.

RAIB said that, as the 13:00 hrs train from Totnes Riverside to Buckfastleigh was running between Staverton and Buckfastleigh, at around 20mph (32 km/h) a passenger and her small child attempted to enter a lavatory compartment in the fourth carriage.

On opening the door, they found that the floor of the compartment was missing, exposing the carriage wheels below.

The mother was able to catch hold of the child and prevent him from falling, but the child reportedly suffered minor bruising and both were shocked.

The passenger reported the incident to the guard of the train and the railway took action to secure the lavatory door.

The incident was reported to the RAIB on 25 June.

The carriage – an ex-British Railways Mark1 Open Second – had been put back into service after repairs to its braking system, which had required the dismantling of the lavatory floor.

The floor had not been replaced and staff had placed a notice on the compartment door and attempted to secure it to prevent it being opened, but this had not been effective.

The RAIB investigation will examine the events leading up to the incident, including the repairs to the carriage and the actions taken to return it to service; the adequacy and suitability of the measures to secure the door; the railway’s safety management system, including the arrangements for managing the competence and fitness of the staff of the carriage and wagon department; and the systems in place for assuring the safety of rolling stock in service.

The investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

The RAIB will publish its findings – including any recommendations to improve safety – at the conclusion of its investigation.

The report will be available on the RAIB website.

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