RAIB investigates Lumo overspeed incident

THE RAIL Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into an incident on April 17, when a Lumo service operating on the East Coast Main Line passed over three sets of points at Peterborough while travelling at three times the permitted maximum speed.

It occurred when the 08.20 Newcastle to London King’s Cross service was routed from a fast line onto a slower line on the approach to Peterborough station, and the route onto this slower line was being displayed on the signal situated on the approach to the points.

The overspeed incident took place over the pointwork that took the train from the fast line onto the slower route.

The RAIB stated that the train passed over the points at a speed of 75mph, three times the maximum permitted speed limit for the points of 25mph, causing the train to lurch sideways as it passed over the points.

The sudden movement of the train resulted in some passengers travelling on the service being thrown from their seats. Luggage fell from the overhead storage in the train saloons, resulting in a number of minor injuries being sustained by passengers.

No damage

Thankfully, the train did not derail and there was no damage suffered to either the train or the infrastructure involved. The train – formed of one of Lumo’s Hitachi five-coach Class 803 EMUS – was not scheduled to call at Peterborough, as Lumo does not serve the station.

The RAIB investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events.

It will include consideration of the way in which the train was driven, any factors which may have influenced the actions of the driver of the train, the condition of the signalling system at the time of the incident, the nature of the reported injuries, and any underlying management factors.

The report into the incident will be published on RAIB’S website when the investigation has been concluded. It is being conducted independently of any other investigations into the incident.