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Class 465 Electric
Unit
SOUTHEASTERN PRESS STATEMENT RE SYDENHAM HILL INCIDENT
At about 6.20pm last night the 17.45 London Victoria to
Rochester train, comprising eight Class 465/9 Networker carriages and carrying
some 500 passengers, became divided at Sydenham Hill station.
The front four coaches of the train came to a halt
inside Penge Tunnel, while the rear four stopped with two coaches still at the
platform some 10 feet behind. People in the rear part of the train were able to
get out onto the platform, while those inside the tunnel had to wait while
engineers were called to check the units and arrangements made to move all the
carriages back into Sydenham Hill station. This took about an hour and a
half.
Passengers were able to board alternative trains and
local buses accepted Southeastern tickets in the Penge/Sydenham area to help
people to continue their journeys. But many passengers were delayed. The
carriages involved in the incident were taken out of service and transferred to
our depot at Slade Green, where a full investigation into what had caused the
trains to divide is being carried out. A Southeastern spokesperson said:
"While no one was in immediate danger we appreciate
this would have been concerning for passengers onboard. It would have been
frustrating for many as it meant their journeys home were delayed. A safety
mechanism means that in the unlikely event of train units dividing in service
– and this was a very unusual occurrence - the brakes are automatically
activated and an alarm sounds in the driver’s cab."
An investigation was launched immediately and the
trains taken to the depot for inspection. Early indications suggest that the
fault lies with one of the train’s coupling units. Further tests are now
being carried out. All trains are regularly checked before entering passenger
service to ensure they are in working order.
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