§ Mr. F. Noel-Bakerasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a detailed statement about the recent railway accident in the Western Region near Swindon; and what delays were caused by it.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAt 2.5 a.m. on 12th November the 12.1 a.m. freight train from Bristol to Reading, which had been working in Swindon yard, passed at danger the semaphore starting signal leading from the up goods loop to the up main line, at Highworth Junction, Swindon, and became derailed at the catch points. Some of the eight derailed wagons obstructed the up main line on which an express freight train from Fishguard to Paddington was closely approaching, and the engine of this train was derailed. It pushed some of the wagons of the first136W train foul of the down main line on which the 12.45 a.m. Paddington to Carmarthen newspaper train was also approaching under clear signals at the time, and the engine of this train was partially derailed. Both the running lines and the loops were blocked and the permanent way was damaged. No one was injured.
The work of clearance and repair began promptly and the down main line was opened for traffic just before 11.0 a.m.; the up main line was opened at 3.0 p.m. Because of the obstruction on this important route to Bristol and South Wales many passenger trains were delayed or cancelled, 35 altogether being affected. A number were diverted: some were terminated short of the site, special bus services being provided to reduce inconvenience to passengers: and a few were cancelled. The dislocation to freight traffic was serious, 62 trains being either cancelled or delayed.
The main lines are equipped with the Western Region type of automatic warning control, but the signals were "off" in both directions for the express freight trains at the time when the initial derailment took place, and the trains had passed them before they could be put back. The goods loop line is not equipped with the automatic warning control apparatus which is only applied to passenger-running lines.
The Railway Inquiry into this accident was held on 13th November; it is not proposed to hold a Ministry Inquiry, but the circumstances will be fully investigated by the Chief Inspecting Officer.