RAILWAY 'NEAR MISS' ON SLIPPERY LINES

It says that just after 7pm on Wednesday, November 20, 2005, the Southern Railway service from Brighton to Hastings passed a signal at danger at platform 3 in Lewes station.

The train stopped at the crossover to the east of the station, passing the signal by 150 metres.

The driver of a Seaford bound departing from platform five realised the two trains were in danger of colliding and stopped 30m away.

'Vigilance and prompt action' of the Seaford train is commended in the report. The driver of the train that passed the signal at danger was 'neither causal nor contributory' to the incident, the report states.

Nobody was injured in the incident and there was no damage to the rolling stock.

The immediate cause was low wheel-rail adhesion '“ a common problem in autumn when falling leaves make rail lines slippery.

Three recommendations relating to the training of signallers to deal with emergency situations and the management of incidents have been made.

The official report also deals with a similar incident at Esher in Surrey.

The RAIB has also made recommendations of a general nature relating to rail adhesion problems involving wheel-slide and sanding equipment, train operating guidance and the prediction, treatment of and research into low adhesion conditions.