INCIDENT: Bathampton UWC+MWL, Somerset 12.11.2008

A van driver escaped injury when his vehicle was in collision with a passenger train on a user-worked crossing in Somerset.

Alan Saunders had driven onto the crossing at Bathampton, claiming that the warning light at the crossing signalled that it was safe for him to do so. Having opened the gate on the opposite side of the crossing, he returned to his vehicle which was then struck on the bonnet by the South West Trains 0850 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury service. He was unhurt as were all those on the train, which did not derail.

Mr Saunders was arrested soon after the incident on suspicion of dangerous driving. He was later released on police bail.

The owner of Bathampton Home Farm, Matt McKillop, whose farm entrance is by the crossing, said he had raised concerns about the light signal in the past. He said: “The light is very unclear on the crossing and when the sun is shining you can’t see whether it is on or off. There should be two lights at the crossing and all we want is a red and a green one instead of one that's white".

BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7724407.stm
This Is Wiltshire: http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/3840213.Chaos_as_passenger_train_hits_van__/
This Is Bath: http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Train-hits-car-Bath-level-crossing/article-468453-detail/article.html

Photo (C) bbc.co.uk

Comment: Does anyone have examples of how a single white warning light operates? It's not something that I'm familiar with.