HC Deb 23 March 1990 vol 169 cc774-5W

1. Accidents to persons

Any accident attended with loss of life or major or minor personal injury to any person whomsoever.

2. Accidents to passenger trains

  1. (a) Any collision where one of the trains is a passenger train;
  2. (b) any passenger train or any part of a passenger train accidentally leaving the rails.

3. Accidents not involving passenger trains

  1. (a) Any collision on a running line where any vehicle sustains damage as a result of the collision, and any collision in a siding which results in a running line being obstructed;
  2. (b) any derailment on a running line, except a derailment which occurs during shunting operations and does not obstruct any other running line;
  3. (c) any derailment in a siding which results in a running line being obstructed.

4. Accidents involving any kind of train

  1. (a) Any case of a train striking a buffer stop, other than in a siding, where damage is caused to the train;
  2. (b) any case of a train on a running line striking or being struck by any object which causes damage (other than damage consisting solely in the breakage of glass) necessitating immediate temporary or permanent repair or which might have been liable to derail the train;
  3. (c) any case of a train striking any cattle or horse, whether or not damage is caused to the train, or striking any other animal if, in consequence, damage (other than damage consisting solely in the breakage of glass) is caused to the train necessitating immediate temporary or permanent repair;
  4. (d) any case of a passenger train, or any other train not fitted with continuous self-applying brakes, becoming divided.

5. Accidents and incidents at level crossings

  1. (a) any train striking a road vehicle or a gate at a level crossing;
  2. (b) any train running onto a level crossing when not authorised to do so;
  3. (c) a failure of the equipment at a level crossing which could endanger users of the road or path crossing the railway.

6. Accidents involving a locomotive or other power unit or any rolling stock.

Any of the following classes of accident is notifiable if it occurs or is discovered whilst the vehicle is on a running line:

  1. (a) the failure of an axle;
    2. 775
  2. (b) the failure of a wheel or tyre, including a tyre loose on its wheel;
  3. (c) the failure of a rope or the fastenings thereof in working an incline;
  4. (d) any fire, severe electrical arcing or fusing in or on any part of a passenger train;
  5. (e) in the case of any train other than a passenger train, any severe electrical arcing, fusing, or any fire which was extinguished by a fire-Lighting service;
  6. (f) any other failure of any part of a train which is likely to cause an accident to that or any other train or to kill or injure any person.

7. Accidents involving the permanent way and other works on or connected with a railway:

  1. (a) The failure of a rail in a running line, which results in a complete fracture through its cross-section or in a piece becoming detached from the rail;
  2. (b) a buckle of a running line which necessitates the immediate imposition of a speed restriction lower than that currently in force;
  3. (c) any aircraft or vehicle of any kind landing on, running onto or coming to rest foul of the line, or damaging the line, causing damage which obstructs the line or damaging any railway equipment at a level crossing;
  4. (d) the runaway of an escalator, lift or passenger conveyor;
  5. (e) any fire or severe arcing or fusing which seriously affects the functioning of electrical signalling equipment;
  6. (f) any other fire affecting the permanent way or works of the railway which necessitates the suspension of services over any line, or the closure of any part of a station, signalbox or other premises for a period:
    1. (i) in the case of a fire affecting any part of the railway below ground, of more than 30 minutes, and
    2. (ii) in any other case, of more than 1 hour.

8. Accidents involving failure of the works on or connected with the railway.

The following classes of accident are notifiable if they are likely either to cause an accident to a train or to endanger any person:

  1. (a) a failure of a tunnel, bridge, viaduct, culvert, station, or other structure or any part thereof including the fixed electrical equipment of an electrified railway;
  2. (b) a slip of a cutting or of an embankment;
  3. (c) flooding of the permanent way;
  4. (d) the striking of a bridge by a road vehicle or its load;
  5. (e) the failure of any other portion of the permanent way or works not specified above.