Tube Train Derailed - 29 Injured (UK)

Sky News ^ | 16:23 UK, Saturday January 25, 2003 | Sky News

[colette_g]

TUBE TRAIN DERAILED

A London tube train has derailed and crashed at Chancery Lane station.

At least 29 people have been injured. There are no reports of fatalities and Scotland Yard said terrorism was not the suspected cause of the crash.

London Underground said the last three carriages of the Central Line service left the track and hit the platform.

All 800 passengers have now been taken off the train and none of the injuries were thought to be serious, said London Underground.

A Fire Brigade spokeswoman said crews were still searching the train and track for further casualties.

'Shaking'

Earlier reports said that smoke was rising from the station but it turned out to be dust from the crash and a London Underground spokesman said there was no fire.

Shaun MacMahon, who had been a passenger on the train, said: "The thing just started shaking, glass was shattering.

"Something snapped underneath when we were at Liverpool Street. When we got into Chancery Lane the doors just ripped off. I just couldn't get out, people were panicking."

Another passenger, Claire Ellis, her face blackened, told how she had been trapped in her Tube carriage after the accident.

'Panicking'

"I was absolutely panicking, we couldn't get out, all the lights went out and we could see people running along the platform.

"We were thinking 'This is it, this is the day it happens'."

Services have been suspended on the Central Line in both directions between Liverpool Street and Marble Arch.

Various roads in the Holborn and Chancery Lane area have been closed by the police.

More to follow...

[Southack]

AQ will try lots of things, but they just don't have the knowhow to inflict serious damage on a sustained scale...

[ex-Texan]

'Scotland Yard said terrorism was not the suspected cause of the crash ....'

And they have finished their extensive investigation in the cause and have determined this result after asking all the necessary questions? Yada yada yada ... DUH!

Who are they fooling anyway?

[billbears]

Question. What is the situation with the train unions now? Would these trains be covered by them? I worked with a few folks from the UK the past six months and both of them were in their mid 20s. Both thought the Conservative party was evidently evil and Thatcher's plan to privatize the rail was one of the worst ideas ever forwarded. My question was how is safety any better under the current system?

[orbital]

Although an AQ attack on the London Undergound system is a serious possibility, it wouldn't surprise me if this accident was due to a lack of track maintenance. Like the overland train system in the UK, the London Undergound is in a very bad state. Sooner or later, there's going to be a major disaster, regardless of AQ plans.

[Willie Green]

Shaun MacMahon, who had been a passenger on the train, said: "The thing just started shaking,

Sounds like a blowout or flat tire to me.
You don't hear too much about innertube tires anymore.
Nowadays, most are tubeless radials, and many are self-sealing puncture resistant.
But I don't know if London can simply upgrade their trains to this technology.
With cars, I had always heard that you shouldn't put radials on cars designed to use bias-ply.
Something about the way the suspension is designed.
My guess is they're stuck with using tubes.

[MadIvan]

The wheels are made of metal - it's like an old fashioned railroad.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

What is the situation with the train unions now?

They are waiting for the Mayor of London to reach a settlement with them. Until then, no further strikes.

Would these trains be covered by them?

Yes.

worked with a few folks from the UK the past six months and both of them were in their mid 20s. Both thought the Conservative party was evidently evil and Thatcher's plan to privatize the rail was one of the worst ideas ever forwarded. My question was how is safety any better under the current system?

The London Underground was not privatised.

Regards, Ivan

[csvset]

Sometimes machines break, no terror involved. Hard to believe but true.

[Dog Gone]

Your satire might not be recognized by all, but it's not bad!

[Willie Green]

Sadly, there are fewer and fewer people nowadays that I would trust to change a flat tire.

[blam]

'This is it, this is the day it happens'.

Expectations.

[Willie Green]

The wheels are made of metal - it's like an old fashioned railroad.

I'm afraid we're no longer familiar with that kind on this side of the pond anymore, Ivan. The government let our rail infrastructure gradually decay and collapse following WW-II. But I'd guess the wheels would still need to be rotated and balanced every now and then. Don't let them use that antiquated "bubble balance" method. "Dynamic balancing" is much more accurate and prolongs the life of the wheel.

[Dog Gone]

The government let our rail infrastructure gradually decay and collapse following WW-II.

I dunno. There appear to be more railroads than major highways near Chicago.

[PAR35]

The French do use rubber tires on some of their Metro lines in Paris - Lines 11, 1, 4 and 6.

http://www.trainweb.org/subwaymark/transit/France/paris_hr.htm

[MadIvan]

Yes, the French do use very thick rubber tyres on their trains - but that's unusual among subway systems in Europe. The overhead of maintaining them is high. The French can only afford it by taxing themselves to death.

Regards, Ivan

[Willie Green]

I dunno. There appear to be more railroads than major highways near Chicago.

Sounds like a good place to build Maglev.
Totally eliminates the concern about wheels altogether!

[Willie Green]

but that's unusual among subway systems in Europe. The overhead of maintaining them is high. The French can only afford it by taxing themselves to death.

We have a similar problem over here, Ivan, with simple amenities such as restrooms in our subways (I think you call them "loos")
D.C. Considers Public Subway Toilet

It gives a whole new meaning to a nursery rhyme we learned to sing as children.

Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

Lost my partner, what'll I do
Lost my partner, what'll I do
Lost my partner, what'll I do
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

I'll find another one, prettier, too.
I'll find another one, prettier, too.
I'll find another one, prettier, too.
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

Can't get a red bird, blue bird'll do.
Can't get a red bird, blue bird'll do.
Can't get a red bird, blue bird'll do.
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip, skip, skip to my Loo
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

Flies in the sugarbowl, shoo, shoo, shoo.
Flies in the sugarbowl, shoo, shoo, shoo.
Flies in the sugarbowl, shoo, shoo, shoo.
Skip to my Loo, my darling!

[Erasmus]

Sounds like a good place to build Maglev. Totally eliminates the concern about wheels altogether!

But then you get the problem of keeping the damn magnets properly inflated and balanced.

[PAR35]

Did you see that story a few months ago about the scientist that thought the poles were about to shift again, so your compass would point south rather than north? If you build a bunch of Maglev trains now, you'ld probably have to run them upside-down when the poles shift.