North Yorkshire Moors Railway urged to improve safety after guard's death (From Gazette & Herald)

North Yorkshire Moors Railway urged to improve safety after guard's death

7:50pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in News By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk

INVESTIGATORS have said the North Yorkshire Moors Railway should make urgent safety improvements after a volunteer guard was killed when he was trapped between two trains.

Robert Lund, 65, from Beverley, died at Grosmont Station in May, and a report into the tragedy has now been published by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).

It recommended “safety management arrangements relating to shunting” should be reviewed and improved, saying the accident happened when Mr Lund was between vehicles during a “shunt move” and a locomotive and a coach “unexpectedly changed direction”.

The report said former Humberside Police officer Mr Lund would not have had “any reason” to believe the vehicles would move back towards him, and that the driver had applied the emergency brake when he realised they had changed direction, but there was “insufficient distance to stop and avoid trapping the guard”.

The RAIB said the railway had carried out its own investigation and had issued instructions that shunters “must not go between vehicles” unless they were stationary and their driver had confirmed they would not move. It also said the railway’s review should include improving training, updating its rule book and looking at how its management checks were carried out and documented.

In a statement following his death, Mr Lund’s family said he joined the railway as a volunteer ticket inspector before becoming a train guard. He retired as a Humberside Police officer in 1997 and continued to work for the force as a civilian until last year.