The Newsroom

Major Train Derailment

All news coverage debated. (November 2004)

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FU
fusionlad Founding member
Unfortunatley, it looks like it's going to be a busy night for the news channels.

Sky reporting a major incident, with several carriages overturned, and one reported dead already.
LO
Londoner
ITV News Channel seems to have been first with eyewitness reports - they've been speaking to someone who was a passenger since 7pm.

They have also spoken to an ITN journalist whose father was on the train.

Whereas Sky and N24 ran packages on Iraq at 7, ITVNC has kept with the breaking story.

Sky and N24 have just been reading wire copy and information from the British Transport Police.

I wonder who will be first with pictures? Even though it's a Saturday evening, presumably Meridian will be able to muster a camera crew based at the slimmed-down Newbury news centre?
LO
Londoner
Interestingly Alex Micklewright - who was described on the ITV News Channel as an "ITN journalist" - is now on the line to News 24

EDIT - his father Richard is now on the line to ITV News
WI
william Founding member
Johnny Saunders from Five Live was on the train and has already popped up on News 24, on a mobile from the nearby pub. Christian Woolmer on News 24 then later, Sky.

Now the BBC local stations are streamed, I am listening to Radio Berkshire , but as yet they've not interrupted their automated output.

Sounds like the police are giving very little information to reporters at the scene.

Also so far News 24's reporter at least has said its an *unmanned* crossing.

One thing that interests me in early coverage of incidents like this - is there a reason the various networks don't choose to use Ordnance Survey maps of the area. Presumably OS would be happy to license them, and they would give a much clearer picture of the area involved (you'd have to zoom in a bit obviously).
LO
Londoner
Tim Grundy from Reading 107FM was also on News 24
JH
Jonathan H
william posted:
One thing that interests me in early coverage of incidents like this - is there a reason the various networks don't choose to use Ordnance Survey maps of the area. Presumably OS would be happy to license them, and they would give a much clearer picture of the area involved (you'd have to zoom in a bit obviously).


I'm sure there would indeed be copyright issues. You can't just broadcast a shot of a copyrighted work for something like this. And in any case, I suspect that news networks deliberately want a simplified map of the area, rather than the complex infomation that an OS map offers. Having said that, I agree that some of the maps shown in situations like this can be a bit too simplified!
FU
fusionlad Founding member
So it's getting on for 90mins since the crash. Sometimes none of the news teams seem to be that quick at getting to a scene.

I know it depends on where the satellite trucks are based and other logistics, but Newbury isn't really out in the sticks is it?

I wonder if the SkyCopter has been scrambled, or if the pilot is already out on the beer?
MA
Marcus Founding member
Interesting to see what News24 does when they join with World, as this story would have no place in a World Bulletin
WI
william Founding member
fusionlad posted:
So it's getting on for 90mins since the crash. Sometimes none of the news teams seem to be that quick at getting to a scene.

I know it depends on where the satellite trucks are based and other logistics, but Newbury isn't really out in the sticks is it?

I wonder if the SkyCopter has been scrambled, or if the pilot is already out on the beer?


News of the incident itself seemed pretty quick (40 mins) - quite often its double or triple that length of time.. I wonder if that's down to the fact their were two journalists on the train.

Radio Berkshire have *finally* just broken out of their Music Box, Andrew Peach presenting.
TK
TerryK125
As a train driver passed for that route...a bit of background. The crossing is remotely controlled from a crossing box further up the line towards Newbury. The box also controls two other crossings in the area. As I remember the crossing involved is on a small country lane and only has half barriers and red lights not full barriers. The line speed for trains in the area is 100mph and there is no reason why the train would not have been going at that speed as it was not booked to stop until Newbury.
WI
william Founding member
TerryK125 posted:
As a train driver passed for that route...a bit of background. The crossing is remotely controlled from a crossing box further up the line towards Newbury. The box also controls two other crossings in the area. As I remember the crossing involved is on a small country lane and only has half barriers and red lights not full barriers. The line speed for trains in the area is 100mph and there is no reason why the train would not have been going at that speed as it was not booked to stop until Newbury.


Why are half-barrier crossings designed the way they are? I assume the idea is if a vehicle gets stuck you can push it off the crossing in the direction its travelling. Is there a requirement that some/all crossings have CCTV? (I've seen a number that do, but they always seem to be ones that are within sight of signal boxes anyway..)

Thanks,
William
FU
fusionlad Founding member
The train was unusually 'formed', as in 1st class accomodation was at the front of the train.

At this time of night on a Satuday, it's unlikley that there would have been many 1st class passengers heading down this way to Plymouth.

If it had been it's usual formation, there could have been many more casualties.

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