9 June 2012

Rail Tragedy Investigation
Focuses on Locking Device

Robert Lund - Date/Photographer unknown.

Grosmont Yorkshire England United Kingdom - The investigation into the death of a railway volunteer who was crushed between two trains is expected to focus on the operation of a locking device.
 
Robert Lund, 65, died while working on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Grosmont, on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
 
A former police officer, railways were his passion, and he had been a long-term supporter and volunteer with the railway. His funeral was held yesterday morning in his home town of Beverley, East Yorkshire, with the town's minster packed with family friends and colleagues.
 
The service was held as the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) published its preliminary findings into the accident, on 21 May 2012.
 
Mr. Lund became trapped between two rail coaches as he was uncoupling one from the end of a line of coaches at Grosmont station.
 
As an uncoupled coach was being taken away by a steam locomotive, it changed direction, crushing Mr. Lund.
 
The RAIB preliminary examination found that when the steam locomotive concerned, an ex Southern Railway S15 class, was working tender-first, as it had been, its "reverser" could change from reverse to forward gear unless prevented from doing so by the operation of a locking device.
 
The preliminary report said:  "Should the reverser not be secured in position, any change may not be noticed by the driver and, in these circumstances, would only become evident on opening the regulator, when a change in direction would occur."
 
The RAIB's full investigation is expected to examine the locking device in more detail.
 
The investigation is being carried out independently of those being worked on by police, the Office of Railway Regulation, and the railway itself.
 
The railway's general manager, Philip Benham, said yesterday:  "Robert Lund was held in very high regard and his death has affected everybody here."
 
"Something happened which had never been known to happen before and we want to avoid any risk of it happening again under any circumstances."
 
Author unknown.