Rail passengers travelling through Peterborough were thrown from their seats and left injured after the train sped through a junction, a report has found.
On May 4, 2023, the 9:54am train from Sunderland travelling to London King's Cross Grand Central passed over three sets of points forming part of Spital Junction just outside of Peterborough Station.
The maximum permitted speed over the junction is initially 30mph and is then reduced to 25mph. However, the 9:54am train was recorded travelling at a speed of 66mph.
As a result the coaches of the train jolted sideways, some passengers were thrown from their seats and others received minor injuries.
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A report conducted by the Rail Accident Investigations Branch (RAIB) found that the over speeding was caused by the driver of the train not reacting "appropriately" to the signal indication they had received on the approach to the junction.
The signal indicated that the train was to take a diverging route with a lower speed limit, rather than the straight ahead route. The driver expected to take the straight ahead route.
The report found that the driver's "application of driving awareness skills was not sufficient to overcome that expectation".
It emerged that Grand Central had not provided the driver with the necessary non-technical skills or additional strategies to manage the risk present at the signal.
The RAIB also found that both Network Rail and East Coast Main Line train operators had not effectively controlled the risk of over speeding at the junction both at the time the signal operation was changed in 2013, and when a previous over speeding incident happened at Spital Junction in 2022.
Four recommendations have been made as a result of the report. The RAIB has recommended that Grand Central review and amend its training and competence management processes.
The second recommendation asks Network Rail and train operators to review the processes that they use to implement safety learning from accidents and incidents.
Another recommendation is for the Rail Safety and Standards Board to review the standards specifying the relative brightness of main aspects and junction signals on indicators.
The final recommendation is for Network Rail to manage the risk of a driver not seeing a route indication because of the gradual reduction in light output of LED signals.
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