Railway Fatality

Archived at the National Archives, Kew as RAIL 1053/130/167.

G.W. AND G.C. JOINT RAILWAY

Sir,
I have the honour to report for the information of the Minister of War Transport, in accordance with the Order of the 12th May, 1944, the result of my Inquiry into the circumstances attending the fatal accident which occurred on the 29th April, 1944, to T. Walker at Ilmer Halt, on the Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway.

Walker, who was 64 years of age, was struck by a train, and killed instantly, at about 10.15 a.m. while he was carrying out the routine examination of a length of track where he had been employed as a sub-ganger for 38 years.

The length consists of 2½ miles of the double track which runs north and south between Prince's Risborough and Haddenham stations and includes Ilmer Halt situated towards the north end. The Halt consists of up and down platforms similarly constructed of sleepers; each is 70 feet long, with an approach ramp, 24 feet in length at the south end, but with no means of access from the north.

The ganger, in accordance with his usual practice, started examining the track from the south end of the length, where he lives, and when he had proceeded about a mile and a quarter, he arrived at the place where Walker and the rest of the gang were working, some 500 yards to the south of the Halt; as they were doing work which he wished to supervise himself, he instructed Walker to examine the remainder of the length. Walker set off in a facing direction along the up track, and was later seen in the distance, returning along the down.

There is no staff at the Halt, and when a nurse arrived on foot to meet a friend coming on a down train, due at 10.20 a.m., she discovered Walker's dead body lying huddled against a railing at the north end of the down platform. She raised the alarm and the ganger, who was quickly on the scene, found Walker's hammer on the ramp, apparently having been deliberately placed there, and his bag of keys which had been thrown further along the platform.

It is usual for the man examining the track to collect any letters for the gang from a box fixed to the back railing of the down platform and about half way along it. There is little doubt that Walker was stepping from the track on to the platform ramp at the south end to walk back to the letter box when, due either to his failure to observe the train, or to his under-estimation of its speed, he was struck by the engine, which was travelling at about 70 miles an hour; there were no signs of slipping and surface of the platform was dry.

The train was identified by traces of the accident on the left side of the cab, and left trailing wheel of the engine, but neither of the men on the footplate were aware of the occurrence until advised of it later: the driver was on the far side, and the fireman was engaged on foot-plate duties.

Nothing else was moving in the vicinity to distract Walker's attention, though a strong wind blowing across the line doubtless reduced the sound of the approaching train. The track is straight for a considerable distance in both directions, and it is difficult to believe that Walker was taken by surprise by the train. I consider it more probable that, owing to the straightness of the track, he under-estimated the speed at which it was approaching, and the time he had available to reach the platform. There was, however, no need for him to mount the platform at that moment, and, having taken an unnecessary risk in doing so, he must be held responsible for the accident; no blame is attached to the footplate staff.

The provision of steps at north ends, to enable a man on the track to mount either of the platforms there, if he so desired, was considered at my Inquiry, but was not favoured by the ganger, as it was thought that it might encourage trespassing and would not obviate the necessity for patrolling between the platforms: I have, therefore, no recommendations to make.

I have etc.,
J.L.M. MOORE.