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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| One hurt in level-crossing crash | One hurt in level-crossing crash |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A steam train carrying a party of school children and a motor coach have collided at a level-crossing on the Swanage Railway in Dorset. | A steam train carrying a party of school children and a motor coach have collided at a level-crossing on the Swanage Railway in Dorset. |
| The 52-year-old driver of the coach, who is from Swanage, was flown to hospital with serious injuries. | The 52-year-old driver of the coach, who is from Swanage, was flown to hospital with serious injuries. |
| The school children and the train driver were unhurt in the crash, which happened at about 1230 BST. | The school children and the train driver were unhurt in the crash, which happened at about 1230 BST. |
| It occurred at Quarr crossing near Harman's Cross, south of Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck. | It occurred at Quarr crossing near Harman's Cross, south of Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck. |
| Police, fire and ambulance services have been at the scene. | Police, fire and ambulance services have been at the scene. |
| The coach driver, who was the only person in the 52-seater coach when it crashed, was freed by the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service at 1310 BST after being trapped under the wreckage. | The coach driver, who was the only person in the 52-seater coach when it crashed, was freed by the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service at 1310 BST after being trapped under the wreckage. |
| Unmanned crossing | Unmanned crossing |
| He was then flown to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester. | He was then flown to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester. |
| Ch Insp Rick Dowell, of Dorset Police, said: "A comprehensive forensic investigation is now taking place. | Ch Insp Rick Dowell, of Dorset Police, said: "A comprehensive forensic investigation is now taking place. |
| "It is too early to provide any definitive cause for the collision." | "It is too early to provide any definitive cause for the collision." |
| It is known that the level crossing is unmanned and there is no barrier or gate at the crossing, which leads down a track to a farm. | It is known that the level crossing is unmanned and there is no barrier or gate at the crossing, which leads down a track to a farm. |
| BBC viewer Lerida Arnold sent this image of the crash scene | BBC viewer Lerida Arnold sent this image of the crash scene |
| A Swanage Railway spokesman said the crossing is controlled by flashing coloured lights. | A Swanage Railway spokesman said the crossing is controlled by flashing coloured lights. |
| Nick Brown, general manager at the railway, said the train was a 1950s British Rail standard class four tank engine, worth up to half a million pounds. | Nick Brown, general manager at the railway, said the train was a 1950s British Rail standard class four tank engine, worth up to half a million pounds. |
| It was hauling five British Railway designed carriages. | It was hauling five British Railway designed carriages. |
| He said between 30 and 50 passengers were on board the service from Swanage to Norden, including a party of 20 people, with the driver and foreman in the engine room. | |
| Mr Brown said the train would have been travelling at a maximum speed of 25mph and heading up a steep slope at the time of crash. | Mr Brown said the train would have been travelling at a maximum speed of 25mph and heading up a steep slope at the time of crash. |
| Arrangements were being made to remove the four rear-most carriages of the train and tow them back to Swanage railway station using another steam train. | Arrangements were being made to remove the four rear-most carriages of the train and tow them back to Swanage railway station using another steam train. |