Ufton Nervet rail crash
| Ufton Nervet rail crash | |
|---|---|
43019, the locomotive leading the derailed HST, pictured in 2003 | |
| Details | |
| Date | 6 November 2004 18:12 GMT |
| Location | Ufton Nervet, Berkshire |
| Coordinates | 51°24′53″N 1°06′54″W / 51.4147°N 1.115°W |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Line | Reading to Taunton Line |
| Operator | First Great Western |
| Service | 17:35 London Paddington to Plymouth |
| Cause | Obstruction on line |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Passengers | 200–300 |
| Deaths | 7 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 120 |
| List of rail accidents in the United Kingdom | |
The Ufton Nervet rail crash occurred on 6 November 2004 when a passenger train collided with a stationary car on a level crossing on the Reading–Taunton line near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, England. The collision derailed the train, and seven people—including the drivers of the train and the car—were killed. An inquest found that all railway personnel and systems were operating correctly, and the crash was caused by the suicide of the car driver.
The crash led to the Rail Safety and Standards Board investigating whether safety could be improved with the introduction of laminated or toughened glass or seat belts; the report found that laminated glass may improve "passenger containment" in the event of an incident. It recommended against the introduction of seat belts as the findings showed that they would introduce more injuries in most incidents.
In the 10 years after the crash, four further fatal incidents took place on the level crossing and a near-miss occurred when a train traversed the crossing without the barriers lowered. The level crossing was closed and replaced by a road bridge in 2016.