Police chopper warns train driver
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Police chopper warns train driver
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/3681589.stm
A police helicopter pilot swooped over a railway line to alert a train driver to a car trapped on a level crossing.
The crew waved their arms to warn the driver, who brought his engine to a halt about 100m short of the sports car, whose driver was trapped inside.
He had crashed through the crossing barrier after trying to evade police in a chase through Hull at about 1800 BST on Monday, Humberside Police said.
Train operator Arriva said the train stopped automatically for a red signal.
Lowest safe height
But Humberside Police praised the actions of pilot Dave Williams and his crew in "preventing a serious incident" at the city centre's Warren Street crossing.
As the force's command centre contacted Railtrack to warn them about the wreckage of the red Jaguar, Mr Williams flew towards the 1802 Beverley to Hull service.
A police spokesman said: "The pilot flew at the lowest safe height, in the line of sight of the train driver.
"They used the sirens fitted to the aircraft and one of the observers opened the door and signalled a warning with his arms."
He said a youth had been taken to Hull Royal Infirmary with head injuries as a result of the crash.
One person was in custody, the spokesman said.
He said the Jaguar had been involved in a high speed chase through residential streets in Hull, having avoided a police "stinger" device.
An Arriva spokeswoman said the engine could not have struck the wreckage.
She said: "The train came to a controlled standstill because of a red signal and it could not have progressed any further down the line.
"There was a 70-minute delay for passengers and we have apologised to them for circumstances which were beyond our control."
A police helicopter pilot swooped over a railway line to alert a train driver to a car trapped on a level crossing.
The crew waved their arms to warn the driver, who brought his engine to a halt about 100m short of the sports car, whose driver was trapped inside.
He had crashed through the crossing barrier after trying to evade police in a chase through Hull at about 1800 BST on Monday, Humberside Police said.
Train operator Arriva said the train stopped automatically for a red signal.
Lowest safe height
But Humberside Police praised the actions of pilot Dave Williams and his crew in "preventing a serious incident" at the city centre's Warren Street crossing.
As the force's command centre contacted Railtrack to warn them about the wreckage of the red Jaguar, Mr Williams flew towards the 1802 Beverley to Hull service.
A police spokesman said: "The pilot flew at the lowest safe height, in the line of sight of the train driver.
"They used the sirens fitted to the aircraft and one of the observers opened the door and signalled a warning with his arms."
He said a youth had been taken to Hull Royal Infirmary with head injuries as a result of the crash.
One person was in custody, the spokesman said.
He said the Jaguar had been involved in a high speed chase through residential streets in Hull, having avoided a police "stinger" device.
An Arriva spokeswoman said the engine could not have struck the wreckage.
She said: "The train came to a controlled standstill because of a red signal and it could not have progressed any further down the line.
"There was a 70-minute delay for passengers and we have apologised to them for circumstances which were beyond our control."
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Well done Dave and crew but what a very strange response from "Arriva"!
By stating that the train stopped because of a red signal and by not acknowledging the actions of the helicopter crew, are they saying that their driver wasn't looking out, or would otherwise have chosen to ignore the warning from the police helicopter?
Who put the signal to red then? Was it red just because of a lucky coincidence? This company never cease to amaze me.
By stating that the train stopped because of a red signal and by not acknowledging the actions of the helicopter crew, are they saying that their driver wasn't looking out, or would otherwise have chosen to ignore the warning from the police helicopter?
Who put the signal to red then? Was it red just because of a lucky coincidence? This company never cease to amaze me.
Excellent job by Dave and his crew. They couldn't assume that the train driver was being given any signals. The lowest safe height would be any height necessary to save life.
Are we going to get a remake of the "Railway Children" starring Humberside Police? Who gets to play Jenny Agutter?
Are we going to get a remake of the "Railway Children" starring Humberside Police? Who gets to play Jenny Agutter?
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Mmmmm.... if the car had just crashed through the barrier, (assuming level crossing barriers down to stop traffic), then the red light would not have been on when the incident happened.
It would be interesting to know,
If this was an automatic crossing, then how was the light operated?
Or if a manually operated crossing, the signalman should have had a mention for his swift actions, which he hasn't.
I think covering themselves for the question;
"What would have happened if the helicopter wasn't there?"
Well done the crew
SS
It would be interesting to know,
If this was an automatic crossing, then how was the light operated?
Or if a manually operated crossing, the signalman should have had a mention for his swift actions, which he hasn't.
I think covering themselves for the question;
"What would have happened if the helicopter wasn't there?"
Well done the crew
SS
Ah, Jeep. long time no post. Are you STILL in the USA? I'd have thought your posting would have been long over by now.
Nice piccies on the website. Family's looking well.
DB
Nice piccies on the website. Family's looking well.
DB
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Well done P 19
......
anyway
The local reaction ...
knowing the character in the 'suspected stollen' Jag is ...
Why did they stop the train at all. ...
For the safety of the train, driver and pax.
......
anyway
The local reaction ...
knowing the character in the 'suspected stollen' Jag is ...
Why did they stop the train at all. ...
For the safety of the train, driver and pax.
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This UK story is particularly poignant when a very similar situation in Australia within 24 hours had such a tragic outcome - the train there hitting the car at 130kmh, killing the occupant.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...635139054.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...635139054.html
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The comment from the Arriva spokesperson does not make sense and sounds like sour grapes. Signals associated with rail crossing barriers are interlocked so that they go to red when the crossing barrier is up. However, in this case the car got onto the track while the barrier had not been lifted - so the signals would NOT automatically be on red at all
Well done the crew
Well done the crew
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Nice flying dude
Excellent skills by Dave and crew.
Still ceases to amaze me that there are mindless thieves out there who dont give a @£$€% about other peoples safety.
Well done to the Helo crew there. Arriva need a change in their PR dept me thinks
MD
Still ceases to amaze me that there are mindless thieves out there who dont give a @£$€% about other peoples safety.
Well done to the Helo crew there. Arriva need a change in their PR dept me thinks
MD
Did the same in Feb when we saw a man walking along the railway line about a mile in front of the Queens train. He didn't budge when we skyshouted.
We came to a hover in front of the train by about 200yds and flashed him. He didn't even slow down!!!!!
Luckily the person on the track simply peeled off into the hedgerow and disappeared. We lifted to about 50' and the train thundered past?
We came to a hover in front of the train by about 200yds and flashed him. He didn't even slow down!!!!!
Luckily the person on the track simply peeled off into the hedgerow and disappeared. We lifted to about 50' and the train thundered past?
AS TC raised another incident, thought you might like this:
SAR SeaKing, 1992 Romney marshes Kent, about 1am.
The crew about to winch up 2 unfortunate casualties who had got lost in the marshes and had climbed up onto the long, straight railway embankment that runs across the marshes.
Using NVG search, we had seen them waving and had settled into a 50ft hover over the track and winched the winchman down to see how they were. Full hover floodlights on. Lit up like a Christmas tree! Big pool of light.
Due to the wind, the helo was orientated same direction as the rail track. Couldnt see the track from pilots window to the side, only as it appeared ahead through front window.
About to winch up first cas, the strop was on him and winchie is holding the hook.
Winch ops patter something like this; "Steady steady, strop on, ready to winch up......STEADY! DONT MOVE, F**K, STEADY!!
Suddenly, as if from under the helo, a train thunders into view in front window and away along the track into the darkness!
(Winchie had seen train loom out of the dark behind us, took step sideways away from the track, held the cable at an angle as train shot past!)
Lesson...never assume large yellow helicopter, lit up like a Christmas tree, 50 ft in the air, is easy to see at night!
SAR SeaKing, 1992 Romney marshes Kent, about 1am.
The crew about to winch up 2 unfortunate casualties who had got lost in the marshes and had climbed up onto the long, straight railway embankment that runs across the marshes.
Using NVG search, we had seen them waving and had settled into a 50ft hover over the track and winched the winchman down to see how they were. Full hover floodlights on. Lit up like a Christmas tree! Big pool of light.
Due to the wind, the helo was orientated same direction as the rail track. Couldnt see the track from pilots window to the side, only as it appeared ahead through front window.
About to winch up first cas, the strop was on him and winchie is holding the hook.
Winch ops patter something like this; "Steady steady, strop on, ready to winch up......STEADY! DONT MOVE, F**K, STEADY!!
Suddenly, as if from under the helo, a train thunders into view in front window and away along the track into the darkness!
(Winchie had seen train loom out of the dark behind us, took step sideways away from the track, held the cable at an angle as train shot past!)
Lesson...never assume large yellow helicopter, lit up like a Christmas tree, 50 ft in the air, is easy to see at night!
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Quite... Exactly what was the element of skill displayed here? Was it a rock solid hover? Was it the ability to operate the landing light? errr.... What?
No wonder Arriva weren't that exited...It was a non event!
No wonder Arriva weren't that exited...It was a non event!
