[modeleng] Re: SVR rail crash
- From: Paul Sherriff <Paul.Sherriff@xxxxxxx>
- To: modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 13:30:01 -0000
I used to be involved with the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway a few
years and having been on the footplate a few times, I can say that when =
you
approached the 'notorious' crossings, your heart was in your mouth. One
crossing in particular was on the approach to Hythe and seemed to be =
where
all the recent accidents have been. Don't know why...
I was on the footplate with one well known driver on the railway, Mike
Jaques, when a landrover shot across the front of us a mere 10-15' =
away. He
said there would be a phone call to the office from an angry local =
resident
complaining that the lights were not working and he was nearly hit by a
train.
Crap... The lights come on when the train is about 200yds from the =
crossing
and we see a flashing white light from the footplate, a mirror on the =
lamp
the motorists see... Along with full sized A4 style (and 2 original A4)
whistles, blasting away as a matter of course there is no excuse.
The RHDR can't afford barriered crossings, they cost =A335,000 each and =
the
railway doesn't make that much spare cash in 2 years...and there are 16
crossings.
A loco (Black Prince) was taken off the tracks a couple of years ago, =
no one
was seriously injured but last year, Kevin Crouch, a lovely lad who was =
a
regular signalman at Hythe with me was killed when driving 'Samson'
Would you believe that a woman, impatient to wait behind several cars =
that
had parked up waiting for the train to cross, overtook them and =
collided
with the loco. She lived, although how she did in a Ford Escort as =
opposed
to 22 tons of engine, 32 tons of carriages and 4 or 5 tons of people =
still
beggars belief. Kevin was killed in between the 'scissored' engine and
tender.
I just don't understand the mentality of people like this and the more =
I
learn about these people the more I love my dog...
Sorry for sounding off but at least I have delurked now...
Rgds
Paul
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