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| Croydon tram crash: police examine reports of incident in previous week Croydon tram crash: police examine reports of incident in previous week | |
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| Police investigating the tram derailment that killed seven people and injured 51 near Croydon, south London, are examining passengers’ reports that a tram almost came off the tracks in the same place the previous week. | Police investigating the tram derailment that killed seven people and injured 51 near Croydon, south London, are examining passengers’ reports that a tram almost came off the tracks in the same place the previous week. |
| The development came as a 19-year-old man was named as one of the victims of Wednesday’s crash. Dane Chinnery had been travelling to work on the Tramlink service from New Addington to Wimbledon when it overturned at a sharp bend in the track near Sandilands shortly after 6am. | The development came as a 19-year-old man was named as one of the victims of Wednesday’s crash. Dane Chinnery had been travelling to work on the Tramlink service from New Addington to Wimbledon when it overturned at a sharp bend in the track near Sandilands shortly after 6am. |
| Investigators said the tram that crashed appeared to have been travelling too fast round the bend, where the speed limit was 12 miles an hour. Passengers said the driver, who was arrested and bailed after the crash, appeared to have blacked out. | Investigators said the tram that crashed appeared to have been travelling too fast round the bend, where the speed limit was 12 miles an hour. Passengers said the driver, who was arrested and bailed after the crash, appeared to have blacked out. |
| A spokeswoman for British Transport Police (BTP) told the Guardian that officers were investigating reports that surfaced on Facebook after the crash, describing how an early-morning tram had taken the bend too fast on 31 October and braked hard. | A spokeswoman for British Transport Police (BTP) told the Guardian that officers were investigating reports that surfaced on Facebook after the crash, describing how an early-morning tram had taken the bend too fast on 31 October and braked hard. |
| Andy Nias, from Croydon, wrote on that date: “30 of us on the tram this morning and we all thought our time was up … tram driver took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph!! I swear the tram lifted on to one side. Everyone still shaking … it’s mad.” | Andy Nias, from Croydon, wrote on that date: “30 of us on the tram this morning and we all thought our time was up … tram driver took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph!! I swear the tram lifted on to one side. Everyone still shaking … it’s mad.” |
| Another person, James Tofield, shared a message he had sent to his wife at the same time, describing how the tram driver had braked and narrowly managed to stay on the track, adding: “It was like a ride from Alton Towers.” | Another person, James Tofield, shared a message he had sent to his wife at the same time, describing how the tram driver had braked and narrowly managed to stay on the track, adding: “It was like a ride from Alton Towers.” |
| A police spokeswoman said: “We were only made aware of the report on social media yesterday and it’s now forming part of our inquiries.” She declined to discuss this or other lines of inquiry further because it was an active investigation. | A police spokeswoman said: “We were only made aware of the report on social media yesterday and it’s now forming part of our inquiries.” She declined to discuss this or other lines of inquiry further because it was an active investigation. |
| Transport sources said the company that operates the Tramlink, FirstGroup, was believed to have opened disciplinary proceedings against another driver who passed a stop signal before Sandilands on 25 October. | Transport sources said the company that operates the Tramlink, FirstGroup, was believed to have opened disciplinary proceedings against another driver who passed a stop signal before Sandilands on 25 October. |
| The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has examined two other derailments on Tramlink in the last five years, both of which occurred at low speed and did not cause casualties. | The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has examined two other derailments on Tramlink in the last five years, both of which occurred at low speed and did not cause casualties. |
| Wednesday’s crash, in which six men and a woman died, was the worst tram- or train-related disaster in the UK since 2004. | Wednesday’s crash, in which six men and a woman died, was the worst tram- or train-related disaster in the UK since 2004. |
| The driver, a 42-year-old man from Beckenham, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the incident. On Thursday morning the BTP said he had been released on bail until May. | The driver, a 42-year-old man from Beckenham, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the incident. On Thursday morning the BTP said he had been released on bail until May. |
| Fifty-one people were taken to hospital and seven others made their own way to seek treatment. Three seriously ill people underwent surgery on Wednesday at St George’s hospital, Tooting, and were now in recovery. | Fifty-one people were taken to hospital and seven others made their own way to seek treatment. Three seriously ill people underwent surgery on Wednesday at St George’s hospital, Tooting, and were now in recovery. |
| Chinnery, the first victim to be named, worked at the drainage company Hydro Cleansing. At his family home in New Addington on Thursday, a man said it was too soon to speak to the media. Friends on social media called for a minute’s applause in his honour at Crystal Palace’s next home fixture. | Chinnery, the first victim to be named, worked at the drainage company Hydro Cleansing. At his family home in New Addington on Thursday, a man said it was too soon to speak to the media. Friends on social media called for a minute’s applause in his honour at Crystal Palace’s next home fixture. |
| Martin Giles, the headteacher of Chinnery’s former school, Meridian high school, said staff and students were heartbroken. At least three other former pupils were injured in the incident, he added. “All of the staff in the school share their pain at this difficult time,” Giles said. | Martin Giles, the headteacher of Chinnery’s former school, Meridian high school, said staff and students were heartbroken. At least three other former pupils were injured in the incident, he added. “All of the staff in the school share their pain at this difficult time,” Giles said. |
| A survivor of the crash paid tribute to the rescue operation, which involved 22 ambulance crews, eight fire engines and five fire rescue units. | A survivor of the crash paid tribute to the rescue operation, which involved 22 ambulance crews, eight fire engines and five fire rescue units. |
| Rhys McCausland, a 19-year-old chef who had been on his way to work at Westminster, received a deep gash to the head and a cut to the arm in the derailment. He recalled how emergency workers had guided him through the rain to an empty tram nearby, which had been commandeered as a makeshift medical bay. | Rhys McCausland, a 19-year-old chef who had been on his way to work at Westminster, received a deep gash to the head and a cut to the arm in the derailment. He recalled how emergency workers had guided him through the rain to an empty tram nearby, which had been commandeered as a makeshift medical bay. |
| He said he had watched as the most seriously injured were airlifted and taken in ambulances to hospital, and buses were used for others. | He said he had watched as the most seriously injured were airlifted and taken in ambulances to hospital, and buses were used for others. |
| He remembered little about the crash itself. “To be honest I was completely oblivious,” he said. “It was just an everyday morning … We went through the tunnel, I didn’t think much of it, and then we hit the corner.” | He remembered little about the crash itself. “To be honest I was completely oblivious,” he said. “It was just an everyday morning … We went through the tunnel, I didn’t think much of it, and then we hit the corner.” |
| Trams on the route travel in a straight line down a dedicated track – an old railway line – at 50mph for more than half a mile before coming out of a tunnel and making a 90-degree turn just before the Sandilands stop. | Trams on the route travel in a straight line down a dedicated track – an old railway line – at 50mph for more than half a mile before coming out of a tunnel and making a 90-degree turn just before the Sandilands stop. |
| They normally brake sharply just before the end of the tunnel to comply with the 12mph speed limit. At 6.10am on Wednesday, emerging into darkness, that point could have been less obvious to a driver. The RAIB said the tram appeared to have been significantly over the speed limit. | They normally brake sharply just before the end of the tunnel to comply with the 12mph speed limit. At 6.10am on Wednesday, emerging into darkness, that point could have been less obvious to a driver. The RAIB said the tram appeared to have been significantly over the speed limit. |
| The Bombardier-built tram is believed to have been equipped with a “deadman’s handle”, a safety device that would trigger an alarm should a driver take his hand off the controls, and would apply the brakes after three seconds. But there is no equivalent of the track safety and control systems that would automatically stop any train that was speeding. | The Bombardier-built tram is believed to have been equipped with a “deadman’s handle”, a safety device that would trigger an alarm should a driver take his hand off the controls, and would apply the brakes after three seconds. But there is no equivalent of the track safety and control systems that would automatically stop any train that was speeding. |
| Many speed restrictions on the network were lifted by Transport for London when it replaced tracks after bringing the route under its control in 2008, 10 years after it first opened. | Many speed restrictions on the network were lifted by Transport for London when it replaced tracks after bringing the route under its control in 2008, 10 years after it first opened. |
| FirstGroup’s chief executive, Tim O’Toole, said: “At this stage we do not know the details of what caused the incident. It is absolutely essential that we find out exactly what happened yesterday and this could take some time. We are working closely with Transport for London and the accident investigators and will continue to provide every assistance to the ongoing investigation.” | FirstGroup’s chief executive, Tim O’Toole, said: “At this stage we do not know the details of what caused the incident. It is absolutely essential that we find out exactly what happened yesterday and this could take some time. We are working closely with Transport for London and the accident investigators and will continue to provide every assistance to the ongoing investigation.” |
| Work was continuing at the crash site on Thursday night. Dozens of police officers were present, while heavy-duty cranes made their way out of the area. At the road junction closest to Sandilands station, several dozen floral tributes had been left. A wide cordon remained in place to prevent the public from milling around the construction equipment brought in to clear the wreckage. | Work was continuing at the crash site on Thursday night. Dozens of police officers were present, while heavy-duty cranes made their way out of the area. At the road junction closest to Sandilands station, several dozen floral tributes had been left. A wide cordon remained in place to prevent the public from milling around the construction equipment brought in to clear the wreckage. |
| • This article was amended on 11 November 2016 to correct the name of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. | • This article was amended on 11 November 2016 to correct the name of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. |