Pair ‘almost certainly wearing ear defenders’ and were not aware of train until too late

There were no formal lookouts when two experienced rail workers were hit and killed on a train mainline, a report has found.

Gareth Delbridge, 64, and Michael “Spike” Lewis, 58, were struck on the south Wales mainline by a Swansea to London train on 3 July.

An interim report from the Rail Accidents Investigation Branch (RAIB) said a third worker came very close to being hit.

The report said the three men were almost certainly wearing ear defenders and were not aware of the train until less than a second before incident on the tracks at Margam, Port Talbot.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gareth Delbridge. Photograph: Family Handout/PA

The RAIB flagged up concerns that the planning paperwork suggested the up-line – the one the three men were working on – was going to be closed at 12.30pm for the work to take place but they began work much earlier and the accident happened at 9.52am.

The report said the men were part of a group of six Network Rail employees with 185 years experience on the railways between them. The group was carrying out maintenance work on points.

According to the report, the train was approaching Margam on the up-mainline at around 73 mph. Its driver saw three track workers walking away from him on the adjacent down-mainline and, beyond them, three more track workers on the line ahead of his train.

“He sounded the train horn and applied the emergency brakes,” the report said. “The track workers walking on the down-line became aware of the train approaching from behind them and tried to warn their colleagues as the train passed them.”

The train was travelling at about 50 mph when it struck the track workers.

Investigators found the three men on the up-line were using a powered impact wrench for loosening and tightening large nuts.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Michael ‘Spike’ Lewis. Photograph: Family Handout/PA

“Consequently, all three of the workers were almost certainly wearing ear defenders. CCTV images taken from a camera at the front of the train and witness evidence indicate that the workers did not become aware of the train until less than one second before it reached them,” said the report.

“The RAIB’s preliminary conclusion is that the accident occurred because the three track workers were working on a line that was open to traffic, without the presence of formally appointed lookouts to warn them of approaching trains.

“All three workers were almost certainly wearing ear defenders, because one of them was using a noisy power tool, and all had become focused with the task they were undertaking. None of them was aware that a train was approaching them until it was too late to move to a position of safety.”

The report added: “The planning paperwork for the work indicated that the work was to start at 12:30pm, to coincide with the planned blockage of the up mainline. However, witness evidence suggests that there was a widespread belief at the local maintenance depot that there was no need to wait for the planned line blockage in the afternoon, and a general lack of understanding as to how the planning paperwork should be interpreted.”