Just heard that a Virgin Train has been damaged after it crashed into tyres and other stuff placed on the track near Goldthorpe.

Anyone heard any more?

National Rail Website (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/incidents/today.html#top) says:

Broken down train between Rotherham Central and Wakefield Westgate

Time Reported: 14:20

Route Affected: Sheffield - Meadowhall - Rotherham Central - Bolton-on-Dearne - Wakefield Westgate / Leeds / York

TOC/s Affected: Northern Rail, Virgin Trains

Description: Train services between Rotherham Central and Wakefield Westgate are being disrupted due to a broken down train at Bolton-on-Dearne. Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays can be expected. The estimated time for normal services to resume is 2-3 hours

Easements: Northern Rail services are being replaced with road transport between Meadowhall and Wakefield Westgate. Virgin Trains services will be diverted via Barnsley or Doncaster

Updates: 18:08 Due to further developments, road replacement transport and diversions are expected to continue until the end of service today

Got this from the BBC site :


Train hits tyres placed on track
A train was damaged when it crashed into a pile of tyres and wheels which had been placed on the track.
A police investigation is under way after the Virgin Glasgow to Plymouth service hit the debris on Tuesday near Bolton-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire.

The 150 passengers, none of whom were injured, were stuck on the train for four hours before they could resume their journeys.

Police said the train could easily have been derailed.

Fuel tank

Passenger Norma Jarboe said: "We were between Wakefield and Bolton-upon-Dearne when we heard a huge noise like rocks underneath the train.

"There was steam everywhere. Later we heard a fuel tank had ruptured."

A Virgin Trains spokeswoman confirmed that four of the train's fuel tanks had been damaged and 1,100 litres of fuel had spilled onto the tracks. It was cleared away by the fire service and the Environment Agency.

"It was a major act of serious vandalism," she added.

The train left Glasgow at 0900 BST. No other services were delayed as they were able to be diverted around the stranded train.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.

This happened yesterday not that far from where I live. And, no it wasn't me!! What must be going through the minds of the idiots that think it's a good idea to build a trap to derail trains?! Fortunately, no one was hurt, but given that it was a high speed train the consequences of these mindless idiots could have been fatal. Hope the police catch these morons.

Here's the story.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4244164.stm

The A********! Mindless morons!
Don't think they do actually think.

It only takes something like a block of concrete to derail and cause untold damage to whole families, relatives not to mention the cost of the train itself.

We used to get these DARLING kidywinks trying to de-rail the tram, anything from branches to coins on the line.
They are just totally STUPID!

see also here: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59643

Originally posted by Andy
see also here: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59643

Mod note : Threads merged. Thanks for the link :)

Originally posted by Grissom

The 150 passengers, none of whom were injured, were stuck on the train for four hours before they could resume their journeys.

A Virgin Trains spokeswoman confirmed that four of the train's fuel tanks had been damaged and 1,100 litres of fuel had spilled onto the tracks. It was cleared away by the fire service and the Environment Agency.


Seems strange the passengers weren't evacuated with all that diesel lying about. Presumably there wasn't a fire risk but enduring the stench of all that diesel for four hours would have been pretty nauseating.

Originally posted by Greybeard
Seems strange the passengers weren't evacuated with all that diesel lying about. Presumably there wasn't a fire risk but enduring the stench of all that diesel for four hours would have been pretty nauseating.

Erm, as I drove by on way home I saw that the Fire Brigade were at the scene so I guess they dealt with that threat straight away.