Nuclear Train crash on unmanned level crossing

Tuesday 11th June 2002
At 8.30am today a Volvo flat bed 3 axle trailer was involved in a collision with the DRS (BNFL) diesel locomotive No 20315, one of two locomotives returning an empty spent fuel flask from Sellafield, in Cumbria to be refilled with highly radioactive spent fuel at Dungeness nuclear power station.

The accident happened at an unmanned level crossing on the A 259 road at Brookland on Romney Marsh. The train was reported to be travelling at only 5 mph as it had just pulled away from a standstill. The speed of the truck is not known and both train and truck driver are being questioned.

The road was blocked for several hours as health physicists from the power station were called to check the flask was undamaged. The locomotive sustained a broken light and the lorry was slightly scratched. After the all clear was given The lorry was removed and the train continued on its journey to Dungeness with its broken light still visible. No sooner had the train arrived at Dungeness, than the empty flask was unloaded and a full one reloaded onto the rail wagon. At around 4pm the locomotive with black duct tape covering the broken light set off with its deadly cargo for Sellafield. (see photos)

Dungeness spokesman Robin Thornton told the Kentish Express that "The power station has been here for 36 years and there has been no other incident on that crossing in that time. Ray Jepps, production manager at Dungeness gave the same story on Meridian Television news on the evening of the accident.

THAT IS NOT TRUE
In 1984 a car was hit by a nuclear train on the same level crossing at Brookland. On that occasion the train was travelling in the opposite direction and was therefore carrying a full flask of spent nuclear fuel bound for reprocessing at Sellafield.

The following day Shepway FoE informed Meridian Television about the inaccuracies reported in their news item on Tuesday. They asked for proof, so we faxed the press cutting below from our archives. Subsequently the record was put straight and on Thursday Meridian TV transmitted the correct story. They showed their own archive footage of a mangled car being removed from the crossing in 1984. They also stated that BNFL were wrong to say it had never happened before.

The 1984 accident

The 1984 accident was reported by the Kentish Express in 1998 as part of a three page special on the state of the track. It was stated that an immediate inquiry was launched following the accident and that local MP Michael Howard was reported to have been presented with the full facts of the case for a house of commons debate. He also asked the Junior Transport minister for a full statement.

We have written to our MP Michael Howard asking him to contact Railtrack with our demands that they install barriers at the Brookland crossing.

Click above for Railtrack's reply.