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16/02/2004
Inquiry begins into death of four railway workers
The rail union has backed calls for a public inquiry into the deaths of four workers killed when a runaway wagon ploughed into a maintenance crew before dawn on Sunday morning.
British Transport Police, Cumbria Police, and the Health and Safety Executive have already launched an investigation into the incident where the flatbed trolly detached from a train on the west coast main line hit and killed four workers.
The four dead were named as Colin Buckley, 49, and Darren Burgess, 30, both from Carnforth in Lancashire, Gary Tindall, 46, of Tebay, Cumbria, and Chris Waters, 53, of Morecambe, Lancashire.
As the line had been closed for the maintenance crew, no lookout was posted to warn of the approaching wagon. Travelling at up to 40mph the wagon hit and killed four of the 10-man maintenance crew. Three others were injured, one of them seriously. Three escaped injury.
The Rail Maritime and Transport union's General Secretary Bob Crow extended his deepest sympathies to the families of those killed and injured said the union would support them in every way possible.
The RMT called for a public inquiry following deaths of railway workers in Cumbria.
Mr Crow said: "We want a public enquiry into this tragedy rather than an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive. Pending this enquiry we want to see Network Rail suspending work in similar terrain until the full circumstances of what happened is clear."
The unpowered and unmanned trolly-wagon carrying sections of scrap railway line left the Stout Green depot at Shap and descended the steep three-mile incline in the direction of nearby Tebay village where the men were working. It struck the group of workers at around 6am before eventually coming to a halt about a mile further down the track.
It is believed that the wagon could have travelled down the steep incline from Shap at speeds of up to 40mph.
A spokesperson for British Transport Police confirmed that the four rail workers had probably been killed instantly.
The main west coast line is currently half way through a four-year upgrade programme in preparation for the 140mph Pendolino trains.
(SP)
British Transport Police, Cumbria Police, and the Health and Safety Executive have already launched an investigation into the incident where the flatbed trolly detached from a train on the west coast main line hit and killed four workers.
The four dead were named as Colin Buckley, 49, and Darren Burgess, 30, both from Carnforth in Lancashire, Gary Tindall, 46, of Tebay, Cumbria, and Chris Waters, 53, of Morecambe, Lancashire.
As the line had been closed for the maintenance crew, no lookout was posted to warn of the approaching wagon. Travelling at up to 40mph the wagon hit and killed four of the 10-man maintenance crew. Three others were injured, one of them seriously. Three escaped injury.
The Rail Maritime and Transport union's General Secretary Bob Crow extended his deepest sympathies to the families of those killed and injured said the union would support them in every way possible.
The RMT called for a public inquiry following deaths of railway workers in Cumbria.
Mr Crow said: "We want a public enquiry into this tragedy rather than an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive. Pending this enquiry we want to see Network Rail suspending work in similar terrain until the full circumstances of what happened is clear."
The unpowered and unmanned trolly-wagon carrying sections of scrap railway line left the Stout Green depot at Shap and descended the steep three-mile incline in the direction of nearby Tebay village where the men were working. It struck the group of workers at around 6am before eventually coming to a halt about a mile further down the track.
It is believed that the wagon could have travelled down the steep incline from Shap at speeds of up to 40mph.
A spokesperson for British Transport Police confirmed that the four rail workers had probably been killed instantly.
The main west coast line is currently half way through a four-year upgrade programme in preparation for the 140mph Pendolino trains.
(SP)
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