Michael Anthony Bovell · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On the 22nd April 2015 I opened an inquest touching the death of Michael Anthony Bovell, 22 years old. The inquest concluded on the 26th June 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was “open”, the medical case of death was 1a Multiple Brain Injuries

On the 12th April 2014 Michael Bovell at about 8.45pm was in a car with two other people when he phoned the police to report a suicide initially telling the operator he was at Enfield Lock but was corrected by persons with him that he was at Brimsdown Rail Station.

Mr Bovell left the car and scaled the fence and made his way onto the railway line.

The train driver was contacted by the signaller at Brimsdown Work Station telling him of a suicidal man in the Brimsdown area. The driver was instructed to proceed at caution and slowed his train to 15 mph. The train driver failed to see Mr Bovell who was struck and run over by the train.

Had the train been stopped by the signaller, (which is not permitted by the RSSB Rule book in these circumstances), rather that the train driver being instructed to proceed on “caution”, the collision would not have occurred.

That the RSSB Rule Book allows trains to be stopped only in circumstances where a person who has trespassed onto the line person may cause damage to a train, but does not allow for trains to be stopped where the person may be in danger from a train other than to stop the train to place the train on caution.

That the train travelling having been cautioned and reduced its speed still struck Mr Bovell