Great Heck Rail Crash - Outcome

Outcome

Both train drivers, two additional train crew on board the InterCity 225, and six passengers were killed. Survivors of the accident included a train-driving instructor (Andrew Hill), who was travelling in the cab of 66521 and teaching a new route to the driver of the Class 66, a driver with 24 years of experience.

Those killed were:

• John Weddle, from Throckley - GNER driver
• Stephen Dunn, from Brayton - Freightliner driver
• Raymond Robson, from Whitley Bay - GNER train guard
• Paul Taylor, from Newcastle - GNER chef
• Alan Ensor, from York
• Clive Vidgen, from York
• Barry Needham, from York
• Steve Baldwin, from York
• Christopher Terry, from York
• Robert Shakespeare, from Beverley

The coaches of the InterCity 225 were carrying 99 passengers and train staff. Had the train been closer to its total seated capacity of 544 passengers, the number of fatalities and serious injuries would have almost certainly been much higher. The early morning departure from Newcastle (4.45am) resulted in reduced passenger numbers. As it was, 45 of the 52 seriously injured passengers, and all 8 fatalities (excluding the two train drivers) were travelling in the first five coaches, which included a restaurant car and two first class coaches with less densely packed seating than standard coaches. The official incident report praised the crashworthiness of the InterCity 225's Mark 4 coaches.

Hart escaped the collision unscathed. He claimed that his car had suffered a mechanical fault, or had collided with an object on the road. However, an investigation, including reconstruction of the Land Rover to demonstrate that it was not mechanically defective, concluded that Hart had been driving in a sleep-deprived condition, and had not applied the brakes as it went down the embankment. It later transpired that Hart had stayed up the previous night talking on the telephone to a woman he had met via an Internet dating agency. Hart later stated that although he had witnessed the impact between the InterCity 225 and his Land Rover, he had not been aware of the more serious collision with the freight train until informed by police several hours later.

Coincidentally, 91023 was also involved in the Hatfield rail crash some months earlier. The locomotive escaped with only slight damage on both occasions. Following technical upgrade of the Class 91 fleet, which led to all locomotives having 100 added to the number (91001 became 91101, etc.), 91023 was renumbered 91132, not 91123. Drivers Steve Dunn and Chris Swift, who was involved at Hatfield, had both previously worked at Birmingham New Street depot. 66521 was written off, despite only being a few months old at the time of the crash.

An unusual aspect of the emergency response was the need to carry out disinfecting procedures at the scene due to the foot and mouth epidemic in the UK at the time of the incident.