Rail investigators have opened an investigation after a passenger train struck a portable rail grinding machine that had been left on the track near Redbridge, Hampshire.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the collision happened at about 6:17 a.m. on May 19 on the Romsey to Redbridge Junction line. The train was the first service to pass through the area after the track had been handed back following engineering work the previous night, RAIB said.
No passengers or crew members were injured. The train did not derail, but it was damaged and could not continue in service. The rail grinding machine was destroyed.
RAIB said its investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events that led to the collision. Investigators will also examine the actions of those involved, factors that may have influenced them, and the arrangements in place for managing equipment during possessions, including rail-grinding machines.
The agency said it will also consider any relevant underlying factors.
RAIB’s investigation is independent of any inquiry by the railway industry or the Office of Rail and Road, the industry regulator. The agency said it will publish its findings, including any safety recommendations, at the conclusion of the investigation.
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