Overground passengers ‘evacuated next to live line’

London Overground passengers were told to walk alongside a live third rail line in the dark after a driver mistakenly evacuated the train, according to a Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report.

On November 7 2017, a service from Dalston Junction to Battersea Park came to a stand shortly before reaching Peckham Rye station with a faulty component, causing the brakes to apply with the driver unable to release them. After consultation with colleagues over the radio, it was decided to evacuate the train.

However, RAIB found the control room staff had misunderstood the actual location of the train. RAIB also found that the driver and signaller “did not reach a clear understanding about the actions that were required to safely detrain the passengers”, adding this caused stress to the driver that affected his decision-making.

“The driver’s experience and skills did not enable him to cope with these demands, and Network Rail did not effectively implement its own procedures for managing an incident involving a stranded train,” the report said.

Simon French, RAIB Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents, said: “Minor technical faults on trains are a daily reality on the railways. But sometimes these minor events, if not identified and dealt with promptly, can quickly develop into a potential safety incident.

“On this occasion, misunderstandings and confusion resulted in passengers being told to leave the safety of a train, climb down vertical steps above a live electric rail, and walk in darkness along an overgrown path to a station. About 80 people went through this before the evacuation was stopped, and it is very fortunate that no one was hurt.”

Responding to the report, the RMT union called for London Overground to roster guards onboard its services, in order to improve safety conditions for passengers.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “It was pure luck that there wasn’t a major tragedy at Peckham Rye last November, and anyone who leaves safety to chance on our railways should have no place in the industry.

“It goes without saying that had there been a safety-critical trained guard on-board this train, not only would they have been able to calm the frustrated and angry passengers, they would also have been able to assist with a safe and orderly evacuation, having first ensured that the current to the live rail had been switched off.”