Train interfered with leading to wagon derailment 10/10/21

[GB]

It would appear a stabled freight train in Wrenthorpe sidings (near Wakefield Westgate) was maliciously interfered with yesterday as the rear wagon was uncoupled leading to a runaway and derailment. Luckily the catch points did their job and the wagon derailed away from the mainline. A second wagon was also found to be uncoupled but fortunately did not move.

 

[WestRiding]

Wrenthorpe, say no more.

 

[Pit_buzzer]

Passed through Wakefield this afternoon and the coal hopper in question is still sat in its derailed position, the wheels have been chocked but its scarily close to the open running line. The catch points did their stuff and presumably recovery will take place at the end of service

 

[eslcma]

This was the site of a trespass fatality a few years ago, person climbed on top of a stabled train. I presume the defences still allow access. Wonder what the repercussions would have been for NR/FOC if a more serious incident had occurred. A runaway is serious enough.

 

[Bovverboy]

If the train was stabled, would the brakes not have been on, and would they not have remained on, irrespective of whether or not any part of the train was detached?

 

[edwin_m]

If the train was stabled, would the brakes not have been on, and would they not have remained on, irrespective of whether or not any part of the train was detached?

The automatic air brake, which applies if a train is divided in service, only works if there is an operating locomotive attached to provide the air. If a train is left stabled the air brakes will leak off, probably after a few hours but less if the system is leaky. Handbrakes would have been applied on some, but not all, wagons, but if someone is able to uncouple a wagon they could release a handbrake easily enough.

This is one reason trap points are provided. Catch points is the wrong name for them when protecting a move out of a yard or siding onto a running line.

 

[Egg Centric]

Does anyone know the legal situation, i.e. what offences were committed here and what is the likely punishment?

It "feels" analagous to an extremely serious case of dangerous driving without causing injury and therefore a short (few months) prison term would be roughly appropriate but the law often doesn't operate how you'd expect.

 

[ainsworth74]

Does anyone know the legal situation, i.e. what offences were committed here and what is the likely punishment?

The CPS has a handy guide here to the sorts of offences and when they might be charged along with the possible/maximum sentences that may apply. Depending on what can be proven it could range from life imprisonment at the maximum end (for instance if it can be shown they did it intentionally to damage/endanger trains) or a fine on the lower end (if all that can be proven is trespass). Boils down to what the CPS can prove in court really as to what they can charge and therefore what the eventual sentence might be if those who did it are known to the authorities.

 

[Bayum]

What’s the evidence to suggest this was malicious and not error/failure of wagon? Genuine question as I’m not particularly au fait with freight.

 

[Spartacus]

What’s the evidence to suggest this was malicious and not error/failure of wagon? Genuine question as I’m not particularly au fait with freight.

Two wagons separately uncoupled with air disconnected, one runaway with handbrake released, second with handbrake partially released, and a great bunch of youths filming the incident from the multi-story. Couplings and air hoses don't disconnect themselves and neither to handbrakes wind themselves off, especially on stationary rolling stock.

 

[skyhigh]

Two wagons separately uncoupled with air disconnected, one runaway with handbrake released, second with handbrake partially released, and a great bunch of youths filming the incident from the multi-story. Couplings and air hoses don't disconnect themselves and neither to handbrakes wind themselves off, especially on stationary rolling stock.

I'm quite surprised a random youth would know how to do all that (I'm not saying I don't believe you!)

 

[Spartacus]

I'm quite surprised a random youth would know how to do all that (I'm not saying I don't believe you!)

We're only talking standard hook and chain type couplings and the handbrakes on IIAs are as about as self explanatory as you can get, a big white wheel marked brake with arrows for which way's on and which is off. I can't really see the air hoses holding them up much either.

Assuming they're not bright enough to have worn heavy gloves the culprit would have got a fair caking on muck on their paws, and probably elsewhere too.

 

[Darandio]

And if they have been filming it from a nearby multi-storey it's not inconceivable that they have previously watched the procedure through their device given how good zoom capability is these days.

 

[Spartacus]

And if they have been filming it from a nearby multi-storey it's not inconceivable that they have previously watched the procedure through their device given how good zoom capability is these days.

Probably easy to get more than a few hints from the large number of railway programs released over the last few years, though all things considered I don't think anything more than a decent bit of muscle and a curious mind would have been needed.

 

[class 9]

A similar thing happened a few years ago with a Freighliner set of wagons at Barrow Hill, as a result applied handbrakes were chained and locked to stop them being maliciously released.

 

[Grumpy Git]

The automatic air brake, which applies if a train is divided in service, only works if there is an operating locomotive attached to provide the air. If a train is left stabled the air brakes will leak off, probably after a few hours but less if the system is leaky. Handbrakes would have been applied on some, but not all, wagons, but if someone is able to uncouple a wagon they could release a handbrake easily enough.

This is one reason trap points are provided. Catch points is the wrong name for them when protecting a move out of a yard or siding onto a running line.

An air brake should be fail-safe, in that that the compressed air keeps the brakes off. Therefore if air is lost either by choice or a leaking/broken pipe, the brakes come on?

 

[Llama]

That would lead to a lot of irrecoverable failure situations e.g. preventing isolating brakes to get defective wagons moving.

If a brake pipe on air braked wagons leaks heavily or divides in service then the brake will still apply in a failsafe manner, it's just a cleverer system than you describe.

 

[Ediswan]

That would lead to a lot of irrecoverable failure situations e.g. preventing isolating brakes to get defective wagons moving.

HGVs manage. If there is no air, the brakes can be wound off with a spanner. I am not suggesting that the railway change its practice, just noting that this particular scenario already has a solution.

 

[Egg Centric]

HGVs manage. If there is no air, the brakes can be wound off with a spanner. I am not suggesting that the railway change its practice, just noting that this particular scenario already has a solution.

Even if that works I think it would be far too dangerous to transition to it now because it'd be almost inevitable while traffic was mixed that at some freight yard somewhere it would be assumed safe to detach a locomotive as the brakes would stay on, but alas they were older wagons and bada bing boom boom

 

[GB]

An air brake should be fail-safe, in that that the compressed air keeps the brakes off. Therefore if air is lost either by choice or a leaking/broken pipe, the brakes come on?

This is exactly how air brakes work. Constant air is needed to both apply and release brakes. If no air is entering the system (because there is no loco or it is shut down) the air eventually leaks out and there is nothing left to hold the brake piston against the pad/wheel/disk.

 

[Poppysdad]

Traditionally freight wagons have an automatic air service brake which will apply air pressure from the BSR in the event of a reduction or venting of the brake pipe using the air stored in the BSR as the protected energy source, however the parking/hand brakes are traditionally very simply using a mechanical arrangement to apply the blocks against the wheel. However Passenger vehicles normally have a spring applied parking brake which is held off by MR pressure and in the event of the air bleeding away then the springs apply the holding force. But the service/emergency brakes are air applied using the air stored in the BSR as the protected energy source. There are limits to the size of the springs which means that more force can be produced with air pressure as opposed to springs Truck / Lorry brakes are traditionally spring applied but air released and hence in the event of the loss of air pressure the brakes apply using the springs as the means of applying the force.

 

[Leeds1970]

This incident was wholly avoidable, had ground staff or another competent person been provided to do a walk round / visual check and a brake test. this is the second mishap in this area involving a freight train that a simple walk round check would have prevented.

 

[GB]

This incident was wholly avoidable, had ground staff or another competent person been provided to do a walk round / visual check and a brake test. this is the second mishap in this area involving a freight train that a simple walk round check would have prevented.

You are going to have to explain that one a bit better.

 

[Towers]

Was the train in question a stabled rake of wagons, or did the incident occur as a formed train was moving off? I presume the former?

 

[GB]

Stabled not in use.

 

[Towers]

RAIB's recommendations will be interesting to read. I've often looked at wagons and thought it an obvious risk just how accessible, and indeed well signed, the essential controls are. Perhaps some consideration needs to go into whether these ought to be secured going forwards.

 

[30907]

This incident was wholly avoidable, had ground staff or another competent person been provided to do a walk round / visual check and a brake test. this is the second mishap in this area involving a freight train that a simple walk round check would have prevented.

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you do a brake test on a rake of stabled vehicles? And would that have prevented malicious interference?

 

[Towers]

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you do a brake test on a rake of stabled vehicles? And would that have prevented malicious interference?

You don't; I presume it was being assumed that the wagon had escaped from the train as it was being hauled. We now know that wasn't the case.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I just can't believe the thought process of someone doing something like this, why on earth!?

 

[WestRiding]

I just can't believe the thought process of someone doing something like this, why on earth!?

Uneducated scum off the sink estate next door.