The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has opened an investigation into an incident at Styal station in Cheshire when a passenger train departed with five doors still open.
At about 15.26 on Wednesday, 3rd May, a three-car class 323 electric multiple unit passenger train operated by Northern departed from Styal station with five doors still open.
The driver had previously on the same journey experienced difficulties, and immediately before the incident, the driver had been unable to release the brakes and apply power.
To enable the service to continue, Northern Trains control instructed the driver to isolate the door safety systems so that the train could continue its journey.
The train travelled for approximately 10 seconds with the doors open, but once it had reached 5 km/h (3.1 mph) a safety system was initiated that caused the open doors to close automatically.
Fortunately, there were no injuries due to the incident, although a number of people were moving towards the train and when the train started moving off, a passenger was standing in an open doorway.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s investigation will endeavour to identify both the sequence of events that led to this incident and will also consider:
- the actions of those involved in the incident and anything that may have influenced their actions;
- the arrangements put in place by Northern Trains to manage and control risks associated with dispatching trains;
- Northern Train’s policies and procedures for managing technical issues whilst trains are in service;
- the design and functioning of the relevant safety systems on the train;
- whether there were any underlying management factors.
The investigation will be independent of any other investigation carried out by either the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.
At the conclusion of its investigation, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch will publish the result of its findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, and will make the report available on its website.
Responses
I am very surprised that, with critical safety systems isolated, the train was allowed to continue in service at all.
Who in God’s name trained that person in Northerns control room!? Telling a driver to isolate a safety system so the train could carry on in passenger service!
It beggars belief.
And why did the driver agree??
Surely every driver knows that if you isolate ANY safety system on a train to enable it to move you MUST detrain the passengers and go forward ECS only.
Where was the guard in all of this? Or are they not safety critical trained on this route?
Many questions here and a few heads need a good wobble into the bargain!!
Yep I totally agree with you on everything you said. Was there a guard on the train? maybe not. What I didn’t know was that a train could MOVE with doors open. Not just a few heads wobbling but going.
Once the driver isolated the safety system for the doors they would be able to take power and move. It’s a ridiculous situation that should never have happened.