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Investigation and inquest
On 26th July 2018, I commenced an investigation into the death of Christopher Lewis McGUFFIE (29yrs). The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest today, the 10th December 2018. The conclusion of the inquest was SUICIDE, and I found that the deceased stood on the rails of the Northbound railway line in Chester le Street station where he was struck by a London to Edinburgh service.
Circumstances of the death
At around 19:38hrs, the deceased stood between the rails beside Platform Two where he waited for about five minutes prior to collision. During that period, members of the public (most of whom were school children) attempted to call him off the rails and raise an effective alert. One young boy left the station and knocked at the home of a local resident to request that she alert the police.
Police were notified less than two minutes prior to the collision and by making a telephone call to Network Rail achieved a block on the rail line around three minutes thereafter.
I was told by a DS of British Transport Police : (i) no platform staff were on duty at the time; (ii) no emergency help point exists at this station; and (iii) the station in question is “considered a hot spot for rail fatalities”.
Coroner’s concerns
The absence, at railway stations, of:-
(1) the means to raise an immediate and effective alert regarding persons on the line;
AND
(2) Alternative means of detecting persons on the line and triggering appropriate response.
Information checked against the published report and official responses