Top stories in this issue
• Learning from Morpeth 1984
• Ladbroke Grove and today's driving
• Diversity in rail
Letter from the editor
In Right Track 48, RSSB’s Michael Woods tells us what it was like to be on the scene at the Morpeth derailment in 1984. The incident was caused by an overspeed on a curve, similar to the one at the same location in 1969 (see Right Track 35). This time, however, the train was going in the opposite direction, and the driver wasn’t distracted but had consumed more alcohol than he should have done.
The Morpeth accident – along with the Cannon Street buffer stop collision of 1991 (see Right Track 47) – led to the creation of the drug and alcohol policies we have in place today. Knowing aspects of GB rail’s history helps us all understand why things are the way they are.
With this in mind, RSSB’s Joe Wilson takes us back to the Ladbroke Grove accident of 1999 to show that some of the SPAD problems then are still with us now. Issues around train protection and driver training remain, but our mitigations are constantly being shaped to meet current trends. Yet, a major lesson of Ladbroke Grove is that
change can increase risk if we’re not careful, be that to our training, our signalling, or our organisation. But, does all change bring risk? No.
Diversity is a change the rail industry has failed to embrace with the speed it needs. Network Rail’s Hayley Rance mentions this in her interview. But, we are making progress, and Lucy Powell describes RSSB’s part in the recent Pride in London event. Meanwhile, Ashlynn Hudson-Wellburn from the National Railway Museum discusses a new project aimed at preserving the voices of rail’s LGBTQIA+ history. Together we are stronger, safer, better.
Greg Morse
India train crash: a familiar chain of events What are the similarities between the multi-train collision in India in 2023 and recent GB rail incidents?
People, pride, and progressThe National Railway Museum has launched a project to preserve the voices of rail’s LGBTQIA+ history.
Taking controlAhead of the 25th anniversary of the Ladbroke Grove accident, we reflect on the lessons learnt and the spread of ETCS?
Proving the routeA new rail industry standard on route proving has been developed in response to the Carmont accident of 2020.
Do you have the signaller on speed dial?A new guidance note has been released to help companies create training content for operational railway safety awareness.
NewswireYour quarterly round-up of overseas rail accidents and incidents between between April and August 2024.
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