Copmanthorpe train accident

The Copmanthorpe train accident occurred on 25 September 2006, at Moor Lane, Copmanthorpe, North Yorkshire, England, on the East Coast Main Line, south of York. A 55-year-old man died when 221 136, Yuri Gagarin, a British Rail Class 221 Virgin Super Voyager, on the 14:25 Virgin Trains service from Plymouth to Edinburgh Waverley, hit his car at 21:01. The train derailed but remained upright and came to a stop further down the line. There were no other injuries.^[1] Moor Lane was relocated in the early 1980s to remove a level crossing. The car had left the road and crashed through a fence onto the railway line.

The train had made its way north through Exeter St Davids, Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New Street, Sheffield and Leeds. It was decelerating on its approach to York when it was involved in the collision, at approximately 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). It was carrying 74 passengers at the time. It was one of the most modern trains on the network and extensively crash tested. According to Arthur Leathley, spokesman for Virgin Trains, one of the reasons for there being no injuries on the train was the highly-developed crumple zone at the front of the train, designed to absorb collision impacts. This assertion is highly questionable though as the crumple zones played no part in the impact and the energy of the collision was absorbed by the car. Many similar collisions have occurred with much older stock and have also resulted in a lack of injuries to those on the trains.

The Selby rail crash took place 20 miles (32 km) away in 2001 and also involved a road vehicle on the track.

While 221 136 was being repaired Virgin Trains hired a HST set from Midland Mainline.

After an inquest held in November 2009, the crash was partly blamed on a lack of signage and a new fence which was less visible.^[2] Improvements have since been made.

References

External links

• BBC News Online: One dies as Virgin train hits car