[SystemSafety] Tram Accident in Croydon

[Peter Bernard Ladkin]

On 2016-11-10 09:36 , Andreoli, Kevin (UK) wrote:
> I suspect the reason rail type safety is apparently not installed will be down to the thinking that 
> Trams are Buses on rails and not Tram = Train. .....

The engineering involved will all have been by professional light-rail people well acquainted with
the hazards of rail operation, of which overspeed in a changing track configuration is a very well
known one, as is driver incapacity. I don't expect any comment on this list from UK rail engineers,
but I wouldn't be surprised if at least one person reading this is thinking "you know, we did
say......"

The trams themselves are (first batch) Bombardier Flexity Swift CR4000 sets built in Vienna. They
apparently do have a "deadmans's handle" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_CR4000

The second batch are Stadler Variobahn sets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variobahn Stadler The
Variobahn is a Bombardier design (originally called Variotram), manufacture of which was taken over
by Stadler in 2001 (according to the Wikipedia page).

I wrote:
> It is the first fatal accident on UK rail/tram lines in 12 years,

This is not so. It is maybe the first one in that time not involving system-external agency (even
that is questionable - see 2016.08.07 below). The Wikipedia page on TfL Tramlink
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramlink says:

> On 7 September 2008, a bus on route 468 travelled through a red traffic signal and collided with tram 
> 2534 in George Street, Croydon. The impact caused the death of a passenger who was reported to have been
> thrown through the upper front window of the bus.......
> 
> On 13 September 2008, tram 2530 collided with a cyclist at Morden Hall Park footpath crossing between 
> Morden Road and Phipps Bridge tram stops. The cyclist sustained injuries from which he later died.

And I read on the RAIB WWW site of four other fatal accidents in 2016 alone
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raib-current-investigations-register/rail-accident-investigation-branch-current-investigations


2016.02.23 a pedestrian was struck by a train on a pedestrian level crossing
2016.08.07 a passenger on a train struck his head on a signal gantry
2016.08.15 a pedestrian was struck by a tram
2016.10.05 a mobility-scooter user was struck at a level crossing

I also said:
> The corner is apparently posted at 12 mph = 19 kph

I took that figure from the newspaper report. The RAIB says it is posted at 20km/h
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fatal-tram-accident-in-croydon

PBL

Prof. Peter Bernard Ladkin, Bielefeld, Germany
MoreInCommon
Je suis Charlie
Tel+msg +49 (0)521 880 7319  www.rvs-bi.de





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