I was a passenger in a train crash. Here's an extract from the driver's evidence to the subsequent enquiry -
"He described his trip from York onwards as a normal run under clear signals and, after slowing down to observe a 20 m.p.h. temporary speed restriction near Tollerton, he had regained a speed of 75/80 m.p.h. just before reaching Signal DI9. At this point he would normally have been increasing speed but, feeling uneasy about the view ahead - he should have been able to see the next signal, but it seemed to be obscured by dust or haze - he closed the controller and started to make a brake application rather as a reflex action than because he was consciously aware of any danger. After passing Signal Dl9, it became apparent that there was indeed a cloud of dust ahead and through it he saw the derailed train aboul 400 yds. ahead with a tank wagon foul of the Down Fast line.
Evans at once made an emergency application of the vacuum brake and applied the straight air brake on the locomotive: he also operated the sanding device to improve the adhesion of the brakes. In addition, he shut down the engine of his locomotive to reduce the chance of a fire in case the derailed tank wagon contained petrol. As the train approached the obstruction Evans became aware of a man waving his hands on the line ahead of his train but there was then nothing more he could do. He estimated his speed at the moment of impact as somewhere between 40 and 50 m.p.h."
Without an attentive, skilled and fully trained driver in charge of that train the impact speed would have been at least 80 mph and I doubt I'd be typing this now.
He left it with an untrained Conductor.
