UK: Escape from car which crashed in front of steam train

[John Ashworth]

Three escape car which dropped on to Cheltenham railway

BBC 31 December 2011 Last updated at 19:13 GMT

Three people have escaped from a car after it crashed on a railway bridge and fell in front of a steam train travelling on the track below.

The car dropped 6m (20ft) on to the railway line in Southam, Cheltenham, at 13:30 GMT on Saturday after a collision which involved a second car.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said a steam train had "managed to stop short of the vehicle".

All three people managed to get out of the car and no injuries were reported.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Early reports indicated that two vehicles had collided on the bridge, resulting in one vehicle dropping from the road to the railway track below."

"A steam train that was travelling on the track at the time had managed to stop short of the vehicle. All three occupants had managed to get out of the vehicle safely," he added.

The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR) runs along a part of the former Great Western Railway's mainline from Birmingham to Cheltenham, via Stratford-upon-Avon.

The line closed in 1976 but by 1984 heritage trains began running along a short part of the line between Toddington and Cheltenham Racecourse.


Incredible escape after car crashes through railway bridge into path of steam train

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:42 PM on 31st December 2011

Three people had a miraculous escape after their car crashed through a railway bridge on to the track below in front of an on-coming steam train.

Two cars collided on the bridge that crossed over the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway near the village of Southam, Gloucestershire, at around 1.30pm today.

One of the cars fell 20 feet onto the track below the bridge on Southam Lane and landed on its roof. The train that was travelling along the line managed to stop before hitting the car. No injuries were reported.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'Early reports indicated that two vehicles had collided on the bridge, resulting in one vehicle dropping from the road to the railway track below.

'On arrival the crews reported that a single vehicle had dropped approximately 20 feet on to the track landing on its roof.

'A steam train that was travelling on the track at the time had managed to stop short of the vehicle. All three occupants had managed to get out of the vehicle safely.'

The GWR bills itself as offering a 20-mile round trip between Toddington and Cheltenham Racecourse through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Cotswolds.

It runs along a part of the former Great Western Railway's mainline from Birmingham to Cheltenham, via Stratford-upon-Avon.

The line closed in 1976 but by 1984 heritage trains began running again along a short part of the line, with the aim of eventually linking the race courses in Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon.


Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service

Incident - Road Traffic Collision - Persons Trapped

Details:

Incident Date: 31/12/2011
Incident Time: 13:34
Status: Complete
Location: Railway Bridge, Southam Lane, Southam
Description of Incident: Vehicle plunged onto Railway Track

At 13:34 hours the Fire Service was called to the report of a Road Traffic Collision at the railway bridge that crosses the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway on Southam Lane, Southam, Cheltenham.

Early reports indicated that two vehicles had collided on the bridge resulting in one vehicle dropping from the road to the railway track below.

Two appliances from Cheltenham Fire Station attended with Watch Commander Parker in charge. A total of nine firefighters responded.

On arrival the crews reported that a single vehicle had dropped approximately 20 feet onto the track landing on it's roof. A steam train that was travelling on the track at the time had managed to stop short of the vehicle. All three occupants had managed to get out of the vehicle safely.

The Fire Service was detained a further 15 minutes ensuring that the vehicle was safe by disconnecting the battery.

All rail traffic was stopped until the area was made safe.

http://incidents.glosfire.gov.uk/incide ... asp?ID=816