A new report from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has proven that a farmer was not at fault for a collision involving a passenger train and a tractor with a trailer on May 22, 2025.
RAIB outlined that the collision, which took place on the railway at Nordan Farm in Herefordshire, happened because the signaller on duty gave permission to the driver of the tractor to use the crossing, despite an incoming train being in “proximity” on the tracks.
Investigators stated that the train was travelling on the Down Main line between Ludlow and Leominster at around 80mph (129km/h) when the accident occurred, resulting in minor injuries for six passengers and one member of staff.
During the collision, the train did not derail, but significant damage was caused to the leading vehicle of the train and to the farmer’s trailer.
Investigation
The investigation claimed that the signaller had forgotten about the presence of the train when they gave permission and did not check signal box equipment, which was indicating the presence of the train beforehand.
Although the signaller had been trained on the correct procedures, RAIB suggested that the worker’s actions may have been affected by an interruption to their established routine for giving users permission to use the crossing, an increase in their workload, distraction, and the effects of fatigue.
RAIB clarified that Nordan Farm level crossing does not have engineered safeguards to prevent someone from crossing if there is a train approaching, meaning that it is solely reliant on the signaller’s judgement.
Recommendations
With the investigation now finished, RAIB has made two recommendations to Network Rail within its new report, which was published today (Thursday, May 21).
The first recommendation from RAIB seeks to “improve the effectiveness of risk management processes at crossings that see a high variance of use across the year.”
With its second recommendation, the report highlighted that the investigation found that Network Rail did not have a coherent process for deciding whether a vehicle using a user worked crossing should be considered as large, low or slow moving.
RAID identified this as a “possible underlying factor” in relation to the collision, with the report now advising Network Rail to assist signallers and crossing users by putting this vehicle identification process in place at Nordan Farm.