The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have officially confirmed on their website (http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_investigations_register/120217_east_croydon.cfm) that they are investigating the derailment of 2538 at East Croydon on 17th February 2012.
The initial report confirms that as 2538 was heading to platform 3 at East Croydon the motorised points changed underneath the tram as it was travelling at approximately 7.5mph. This meant that the leading bogie took the correct route towards the left hand platform whilst the centre and trailing bogies took the route to the centre platform (platform 2). The centre bogie was dragged into derailment, the pantograph came off the contact wire and the tram came to a stop. Around 100 passengers were on board the tram but no injuries were reported.
Initial investigations have revealed that the track circuit which locks the facing points did not detect 2538 and that the points were commanded to change because platform 3 was already occupied by a preceding tram.
The RAIB will now conduct a full investigation and a report will then be released through their website confirming what happened and recommending ways to ensure it doesn’t happen again.