Abermule repeated just a little further down the track, 103 years latter.

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Running through a passing loop due to poor railhead adhesion is how it (most likely) happened.
Shades of the Salisbury tunnel junction incident come to mind.
Reports of the driver coming back into the carriage to tell the passengers to brace for the collision, are quite telling.
 
It doesn't work the way suggested any more. Can't find a simple tech description of how it's used on single track but it's based on what are called passive items on the track. Passive is a bit confusing Read no batteries as train movement provides the power for it to communicate with the train. The whole set up can communicate with a control centre. Idea on single track is to get one of the trains in a siding loop so the other can pass.
Bit here but not much

There is a handbook on the system around but too much.

It sounds like the system at least warned about what was going to happen if the driver warned people
 
We still use tokens, most of the time our 8 mile is just one train going back and to, but in theory we could run four, as three passing places. But over running the passing place by a mile, something very wrong happened.
 
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ericmark said:
But over running the passing place by a mile, something very wrong happened.
Click to expand...
The passing loop was on a summit, miss the stop, and it's all down hill.
Some speculation I've seen suggest the collision was edit:900yds from the loop.
In the Salisbury accident, the SPAD was 240yds from the collision, and the train was still going 20mph when it got to the tunnel.
 
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Initial statement from RAIB...

At around 19:26 on the evening of 21 October 2024, the 6.31pm Transport for Wales passenger service from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth collided with another train on Network Rail’s Cambrian line, approximately 800 metres west of the passing loop located at Talerddig, Powys. Initial evidence suggests that collision occurred at a speed of approximately 24 km/h (15 mph). The second train involved was the 19:09 Machynlleth to Shrewsbury passenger service, also operated by Transport for Wales.

One passenger tragically died and four other people were seriously injured. Eleven more people sustained injuries which required hospital treatment.

RAIB was notified of the accident at 7.45pm on the night of the accident and immediately dispatched a team of inspectors to examine the site and collect evidence.

Additional RAIB staff and specialist equipment have arrived at the site of the accident throughout today and we continue to work in conjunction with the British Transport Police, the Office of Rail and Road and the railway companies involved to secure the necessary evidence to support our independent safety investigation. This will include examining the condition of the train and downloading its ‘black box’ data recorder, inspecting the track, analysing data from railway signalling and radio systems, and interviewing witnesses.

The railway approaching Talerddig from each direction consists of a single track. To allow trains to pass each other a track loop is provided. These loops have points at each end and allow trains to enter a short length of track which lies alongside the single line.

RAIB’s initial inspection of the track on approach to the point of collision found evidence that wheel/rail adhesion was relatively low, suggesting that the train may have entered into wheel slide when braking. This will be an area of ongoing investigation.

Our investigation is in its very early stages and an additional update will be available in the coming days once RAIB has gathered and analysed further evidence.
Click to expand...
 
In days gone by it was common to use derailer tracks to prevent runaway trains from reaching the main line

derailer points.jpg
 
ericmark said:
We still use tokens, most of the time our 8 mile is just one train going back and to, but in theory we could run four, as three passing places. But over running the passing place by a mile, something very wrong happened.
Click to expand...
This is from one of the links I posted
A single track line of 215km - the Cambrian Line - linking Shrewsbury with Aberystwyth and Pwllheli in Wales came into full service in 2011 operating at Level 2. ERTMS replaced the legacy Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) signal-ling system. 24 sets of 2 coach Class 158 DMUs from Arriva Trains Wales were ERTMS tted for passenger operations, supported by 4 Class 97 Diesel locomo-tives prepared for freight and other operational duties. The vehicles operating on this route are expected to have an ETCS OBU upgrade shortly.

This sort of technology just wasn't available in 1926. The above also seems to be old - working 2011. The upgrade mentioned might even have been added. Similar appears to be in use in the EU
 
I did seem odd that this should happen on the same line as the Abermule crash 103 years ago, and it was that crash which changed how we run on single lines.

The story seems to be changing, now down to 1000 meters, the other train stopped, and was doing just 15 MPH. But plenty of time to use the sanders, I assume modern trains still have sand boxes?

But runaways were a fright problem, in passenger trains the brakes work from the cab, with fright trains one has to latch the brakes before one starts the descent, I know on the local line, before the Golfa, there are signs to say engage brakes here. And one has to stop, put the brakes on at each wagon, then continue down the hill, which is far steeper to the hills found on the main line.
 
bernardgreen said:
In days gone by it was common to use derailer tracks to prevent runaway trains from reaching the main line
Click to expand...
Yes, catch points are still in use.
Although interestingly, the one in your image has been taken out of use. Usually they would look like...
1729625669491.jpeg

I have been wondering about catch points in this instance.
The loop in question is bi-directional - I don't know if it has catch points at both ends.
 
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ericmark said:
with fright trains one has to latch the brakes before one starts the descent, I know on the local line, before the Golfa, there are signs to say engage brakes here. And one has to stop, put the brakes on at each wagon, then continue down the hill, which is far steeper to the hills found on the main line.
Click to expand...
BR began disposing of unfitted stock from 1957, the last unfitted freight wagons were used around my way, until the early 80's.
 
Here in Wales, ups sorry you're also in Wales, but we are still using steam trains, no longer run down the road, however still have the bells on them for road use, from my house I often hear the whistle, it used to connect to the Cambrian line at Welshpool, there are special sidings with the standard and 2'6" gauge, so live stock could be transhipped. But the Cambrian line was made into a bypass, and a new Cambrian line was reinstated, and the old station building is now just a café.

The end of the Cambrian line was sold off, it had the last steam trains run by British rail, it has never stopped running, but now not part of network rail as it continues to devil's bridge. Again like my local line, narrow gauge, but not run by volunteers, they actually overhauled our steam engine.

But we have a railway in the North, one in the middle, and one in the South, but the Welsh links have gone, unless you count the Welsh highland and Ffestiniog railways which are so slow not really a transport link, my local railways has a 16 MPH speed limit, and it still beats the bus.
 
ericmark said:
I did seem odd that this should happen on the same line as the Abermule crash 103 years ago, and it was that crash which changed how we run on single lines.

The story seems to be changing, now down to 1000 meters, the other train stopped, and was doing just 15 MPH. But plenty of time to use the sanders, I assume modern trains still have sand boxes?

But runaways were a fright problem, in passenger trains the brakes work from the cab, with fright trains one has to latch the brakes before one starts the descent, I know on the local line, before the Golfa, there are signs to say engage brakes here. And one has to stop, put the brakes on at each wagon, then continue down the hill, which is far steeper to the hills found on the main line.
Click to expand...
general comments
only locos where ever fitted with sander with 47s brush being exempt in the 80s as not needed [but later fitted ]
the problem with leaves comes in the 70s and 80s in the 60s steam and a greater level off platelayers [track workers] ment foliage near the track where burnt off by steam engine plying ashes or deliberate burning as a practice keeping bankings clear roll on the70s reduced or no flaming means foliage builds up around and near the tracks with reduced pway [track workers ]to coppice the trees and foliage track side
further aggravated by the increase in disc brakes and reduction of brake blocks that by there action scrub the wheels and tracks in action
by the 80s leaves are a real problem with all sort off units and stock being fitted with sand with water cannons being introduces to clean rails by high pressure jets and a sandite paste being applied by other trains to help adhesion

just for context i was a railwayman from 70 till 72 secondman [deisel fireman redill ] till 76 then train driver coulsdon north [electric] till 79 deisel driver back at redhill till 1987 then mixed link at redhill to mixed traction diesel and electric trains till 94 when we parted company
 
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