Incident Croydon tram

[red_slr]

Looks to have happened right on a fairly tight curve.

[Magog]

Reports saying that the tram driver has been arrested.

[Laurel Green]

Reporting that the driver has been arrested.

[chrisgtx]

I think that's just par for the course isn't it, like when there's a fatal road accident if the driver isn't injured they automatically get arrested.

[Magog]

chrisgtx said:

I think that's just par for the course isn't it, like when there's a fatal road accident if the driver isn't injured they automatically get arrested.

Don't think that is entirely true, eg:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/woman-killed...

Think there will have to be some suspicion of wrongdoing for an arrest to be made. No idea what legislation covers tramways, and fatalities that may be the drivers responsibility.

[P5BNij]

Just heard from someone who was on the tram that the driver blacked out before reaching the sharp curve.

[SydneyBridge]

I work next to East Croydon Station, less than a mile away from where it happened.

Very sombre and strange in Croydon today and RIP to those died

A few trams are back running but very empty.

[hornetrider]

Magog said:

Up to eight dead now being reported.

Jesus

[Trevatanus]

hornetrider said:

Magog said:

Up to eight dead now being reported.

Jesus

No, he dies years ago.

[scenario8]

It's been several hours since I last posted and the news broadcasters have understandably neglected this story in favour of the US election result. Does anyone know the direction of travel of the tram? Had it emerged from the tunnel heading away from New Addington towards Central Croydon on the downhill slope and was negotiating the turn as it entered Sandilands or was it going the other way (towards the tunnel and marginally uphill)?

I ask as the ten seconds given to the story on the radio news was, at best, confused.

Terrible incident, of course.

[Laurel Green]

Don't really know, though I did hear mention of 'in the tunnel' on the radio (LBC) earlier.

[jbswagger]

scenario8 said:

It's been several hours since I last posted and the news broadcasters have understandably neglected this story in favour of the US election result. Does anyone know the direction of travel of the tram? Had it emerged from the tunnel heading away from New Addington towards Central Croydon on the downhill slope and was negotiating the turn as it entered Sandilands or was it going the other way (towards the tunnel and marginally uphill)?

I ask as the ten seconds given to the story on the radio news was, at best, confused.

Terrible incident, of course.

On another forum, Tom Edwards from the BBC said on Twitter

"Derailed tram was heading west to East Croydon"

[kiethton]

jbswagger said:

scenario8 said:

It's been several hours since I last posted and the news broadcasters have understandably neglected this story in favour of the US election result. Does anyone know the direction of travel of the tram? Had it emerged from the tunnel heading away from New Addington towards Central Croydon on the downhill slope and was negotiating the turn as it entered Sandilands or was it going the other way (towards the tunnel and marginally uphill)?

I ask as the ten seconds given to the story on the radio news was, at best, confused.

Terrible incident, of course.

On another forum, Tom Edwards from the BBC said on Twitter

"Derailed tram was heading west to East Croydon"

That would tie up with how busy it was - they would be empty going the other way

Turns out a friend was meant to be on that tram but was late to the stop on account of the rain - lucky escape!

[scenario8]

jbswagger said:

scenario8 said:

It's been several hours since I last posted and the news broadcasters have understandably neglected this story in favour of the US election result. Does anyone know the direction of travel of the tram? Had it emerged from the tunnel heading away from New Addington towards Central Croydon on the downhill slope and was negotiating the turn as it entered Sandilands or was it going the other way (towards the tunnel and marginally uphill)?

I ask as the ten seconds given to the story on the radio news was, at best, confused.

Terrible incident, of course.

On another forum, Tom Edwards from the BBC said on Twitter

"Derailed tram was heading west to East Croydon"

Thank you.

I was trying to get my head around what might have happened and heading downhill towards a bend at a decent speed made more sense than pulling away from a stop, negotiating a bend and going uphill. Would also make more sense from the perspective of the number of passengers involved. The news broadcast I heard was contradictory.

The weather was terrible at the time, by the way. Very wet indeed and with poor light.

[motco]

Looking at the pictures I am surprised there were so many severe casualties/deaths. You might expect cuts and bruises but the injuries are very severe for such a slow 'train'. That bend is really very sharp and carries a (reported) 16mph limit, not surprisingly. Awful accident.

[truck71]

Looking at the aerial picture it looks like the tram had come out of the tunnel and was going to take the left turn when it toppled over. Thing is it's lying on it's left side meaning it was perhaps heading right on the single track but that's East isn't it?

[motco]

I think it's lying on its right side and has slid across the opposing tracks.

[saaby93]

Says it was taking left hand bend with 12mph limit. Why 12? is it the metric equivalent of something?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-london-3...

[truck71]

motco said:

I think it's lying on its right side and has slid across the opposing tracks.

I thought that at first but if you look at the doors and livery and compare to an upright photo it suggests the opposite?

[Robertj21a]

motco said:

Looking at the pictures I am surprised there were so many severe casualties/deaths. You might expect cuts and bruises but the injuries are very severe for such a slow 'train'. That bend is really very sharp and carries a (reported) 16mph limit, not surprisingly. Awful accident.

Investigators report that it seems to have been travelling much faster than the limit.