The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has announced that they have launched an investigation into the recent rail incident involving a Merseyrail train at Kirkby.
On the 13th March 2021, around 18:53, the 18:35 Liverpool Central to Kirkby service hit the buffers at the end of the Merseyrail platform at Kirkby station.
The train approached the station at 42 mph before the driver made an emergency brake application.
This emergency brake application slowed the train before it hit the buffers, which caused the train to derail and it then collided with the platform extension at the station.
The platform extension links the Northern platform and the Merseyrail platform.
507006 came to a stop under a bridge and clear of the branch line, which was not occupied at the time of the incident.
In total, 12 people reported minor injuries in the accident, and significant damage was caused to the train and infrastructure.
The RAIB says that their investigation will look at:
- the performance of the train and the infrastructure
- any factors that may have influenced the train driver’s actions
- the training, supervision and management of Merseyrail drivers
- the processes used to assess and control the risk of terminal platform overruns
- any relevant underlying factors
Trains resumed at Kirkby after the incident on the 22nd March 2021
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Responses
No chance of saving the damaged Class 507 “507008” because the new Class 777 Stadler trains are due to enter service later this year. That Merseyrail have ordered to replace the Class 507 and Class 508 ageing stocks.