Collision between train and engineering trolley at Challow

At 06:09 hrs on 21 October 2021, the 05:23 hrs Great Western Railway passenger service from London Paddington to Swansea struck an engineering trolley left on the line near Challow in Oxfordshire. The train was travelling at 123 mph (198 km/h) at the time of the collision.

The train came to a stand around 1.5 miles beyond the point of collision. There were no injuries among the passengers on board and the train did not derail. However, the handle of the trolley became wedged under the leading bogie of the train while the trolley itself caused some damage to the train’s underframe. The collision resulted in minor damage to the track, while the trolley appears to have been destroyed by the impact.

The train involved in the collision was the first train to pass through the area after the track was handed back following engineering work which had taken place during the previous night. RAIB’s preliminary examination found that the trolley had been inadvertently left on the railway line following this work, which had taken place within a possession.

Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events that led to the collision. It will also consider:

• the processes in place for managing vehicles such as trolleys within possessions

• the training, competence and management oversight of the staff involved and any factors that may have influenced their actions

• any relevant underlying factors.

Our investigation will also consider a similar incident which took place at 05:55 hrs on 8 September 2021, when a passenger train travelling between Staines and London Waterloo struck an engineering trolley on the approach to Twickenham station. This trolley had also been left on the line following overnight engineering work. RAIB no longer intends to publish a separate safety digest concerning this incident.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

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