The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released details of a derailment of a freight train while on the approach to London Gateway port near StanfordleHope in Essex.
At about 05:45 on 24 December 2021, the 22:35 GB Railfreight freight train from Hams Hall near Birmingham to London Gateway derailed on the down Thames Haven line as it approached London Gateway port.
The train consisted of a Class 66 locomotive and 33 `container flat` type wagons. The initial derailment occurred on infrastructure that is under Network Rail`s management. The leading bogie of the 12th wagon became derailed on plain line when the train was travelling at about 13 mph, but the train continued travelling for around 500 metres after this initial derailment. Upon reaching a series of opposite points within the boundaries of the harbor, four other cars derailed.
The wagon involved in the first derailment was the central wagon of the Ecofret 2 set, which consisted of three wagons semi-permanently connected by steel drawbars. This wagon was the only unloaded train.
There were no derailment injuries, but within the harbor boundaries, the tracks and signaling systems were severely damaged. The railroad link to the port remained closed until temporary repairs were made. The port reopened on January 4, 2022. RAIB's investigation seeks to identify the sequence of events that caused the accident. It takes into account track conditions, freight car loading capacity, freight car characteristics, train operation methods, and all underlying management factors. The RAIB investigation is independent of the investigation by the railway industry or the Office of Rail and Road, the industry's regulatory agency. Once the investigation is complete, we will publish the findings, including recommendations for improving security.
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