Sarah Athermith · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On the 27 September 2017, I commenced an investigation into the death of school girl, Sarah Athermith. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 28 November 2017. The conclusion of the inquest was a short narrative conclusion of accidental death.

The cause of death was:

1a Traumatic Head Injury

i) On the afternoon of the 26 September 2017, Sarah was walking home after school with a school friend.

ii) She stopped to feed some horses in a nearby field and then arrived at a train crossing gate at Wallows lane Footpath railway at approximately 3pm. This is an unprotected crossing and notices have been placed around the crossing to alert pedestrians to the danger.

iii) She initially stopped to let a freight train pass and then crossed the rail tracks but did not see another train coming in the opposite direction.

iv) Sadly, Sarah was hit by the train sustaining fatal head injuries and died at the scene a short time later.

1. Evidence emerged during the inquest that the Wallows Lane level crossing is an unprotected crossing and there is no method of warning of an approaching train.

2. There are whistle boards (train drivers should sound their whistles/horns on approach) in place to warn users. However, the crossing relies on users actively stopping, looking and listening for approaching trains before deciding if it is safe to cross.

3. There is a clear and present danger that pedestrians can become confused, as happened in this case when two trains pass each other at the same time and do not realise there is a further train on the opposite rail track.

4. It also emerged that the freight train carriages were double height and obscured the opposite train drivers view.

5. In 2011, there was a near miss with a school girl on Wallows lane crossing.

6. The crossing has remained closed to members of the public since the 26 September 2017 and it appears there has been minimal impact on the local community.