In one of the speedier releases from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch a report has recently been released on the collision at Shalesmoor on Stagecoach Supertram between trams 118 and 120 which took place on 22nd October 2015. The main causes of the collision have been put down as 120 not being “driven in a manner appropriate for the conditions”and of the brakes on the tram not providing the “level of braking the driver expected”.
As we reported at the time 120 collided with 118 at Shalesmoor stop at 0825 on 22nd October 2015. 120 was travelling at low speed towards the stop with 118 stationary awaiting departure which has been delayed by traffic blocking the yellow box junction ahead. With it being October the conditions were of low rail head adhesion on the approach to Shalesmoor which contributed to the collision occurring with the brakes said not to have applied as the driver was expecting. 15 passengers and one staff member suffered minor injuries in the collision with both trams suffering major damage which has necessitated the two good halves of the trams being combined to make one good tram.
The report states that the driver of 120 – who has 20 years experience of driving on Supertram – applied the hazard brake 25 metres before the collision and that in normal railhead conditions this would have been sufficient to bring the tram to a standstill. However with the poor rail conditions in this area – despite the fact that Supertram maintenance staff has been in the area blowing the leaves off the rails before service began that morning – the brakes did not work as the driver was expecting. The RAIB had also taken data of the average speed of trams which had travelled on this section of tramway during the morning and had discovered that 120’s average was higher than the other trams. Of note is that Stagecoach Supertram’s annual “Winterisation Brief” which is issued to all drivers to remind them of procedures in poor rail conditions had not been issued to drivers (normally due to be released by 1 October) at the time of the collision (the briefing was released on 28th October).
Unusually only one recommendation is made by the RAIB and that is aimed at all tram and light rail operators in the UK. This asks that all operators should review their processes for assessing and managing the risk from low adhesion conditions on their networks.
* The full report can be downloaded from the RAIB website at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/544659/R172016_160809_Shalesmoor.pdf.