Rail Accident Investigation Branch
At around 10:17 hrs on 1 January 2024, a passenger train reported a near miss with the driver of a freight train which had stopped just east of Nottingham railway station.
At the time of the near miss, the freight train involved had been stopped so that it could be examined by its driver. As part of this examination the driver used the adjacent line to walk back along their train. As they did so, a passenger train approached them on this line at approximately 37 mph (60 km/h). The passenger trains driver saw that the freight train driver was in an unsafe position ahead and braked and used their trains warning horn. This gave the freight train driver enough time to move off the line and to avoid being struck.
We have undertaken a preliminary examination into the circumstances surrounding this incident. Having assessed the evidence which has been gathered to date, we have decided to publish a