On 13 March 2021, a Class 507

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a numbe ...

operated by Merseyrail collided with the buffer stop at Kirkby railway station, Merseyside, United Kingdom. The only injury was the driver of the train. The cause was found to be that the driver was using a mobile phone whilst driving. The distraction led him to enter the station at excessive speed. He was fired and prosecuted, pleading guilty to a charge of endangering the safety of people on the railway.

Background

The layout at Kirkby station is unusual. The station opened in 1848 as a through station on the Liverpool and Bury Railway between and . In 1977, for operational reasons, the line was split at Kirkby, with the two ends facing each other on a single extended platform. Buffer stops are provided on the end of each line, with a concrete section between the two.

Accident

At 18:52 on 13 March 2021, a Class 507

collided with the buffers. The train went through the buffer stop and collided with a bridge. The train formed the 18:35 service from station to Kirkby. There were two crew and twelve passengers on board. The emergency services were alerted at 19:01 and arrived at 19:05.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is the statute, statutory Fire service in the UK, fire and rescue service covering the county of Merseyside in north-west England and is the statutory Fire and Rescue Authority responsible for all 999 fire br ...

, the

North West Ambulance Service The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) is the ambulance service for North West England. It is one of ten ambulance trusts providing England with Emergency medical services, and is part of the National Health Service, receiving direct ...

and

Merseyside Police Merseyside Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. The service area is 647 square kilometres with a population of around 1.5 million. As of September 2017 the service has 3,484 police of ...

all attended the scene. The train was formed of two Class 507 units, 507 006 and 507 021. All fourteen people on board the train were treated at the scene by paramedics. The driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. As a result of the accident, services were suspended between and Kirkby. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had handed over control of the scene to the British Transport Police (BTP) by 21:40. The next day, replacement bus services were set up between Kirkby and . As a result of the accident, unit 507 006 was withdrawn from service. It was scrapped in September 2021. Damage to the station cost £450,000 to repair. The station reopened on 21 March.

Investigations

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch opened an investigation into the accident. The RAIB published its final report on 11 August 2022. The Office of Rail and Road and BTP also opened investigations into the accident. The BTP investigation found that the driver had been using WhatsApp on his mobile phone 26 seconds before the accident. It was later disclosed that he had been messaging about the death that day of Murray Walker. The train was travelling at where the speed limit was . Merseyrail's policy was that trains would enter Kirkby station at . The train was still doing when it collided with the buffer stop.

Prosecution

On 31 March, it was reported that the driver had been arrested by British Transport Police on suspicion of endangering the safety of the railway. He was released on bail, then charged on 20 January 2022. Merseyrail dismissed the driver in September 2021. At his trial on 8 February 2022, the driver pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of passengers on the railway. On 8 March 2022, the driver was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for two years, 180hours of community service and a three month evening curfew.

References

{{Railway accidents in the United Kingdom, 2000–present 2020s in Merseyside Railway accidents in 2021 March 2021 events in the United Kingdom Train collisions in England Derailments in England Railway accidents and incidents in Merseyside 2021 in England Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley