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DW's Resident Medic
Runaway tube train prompts London Underground inquiry
RMT union says major incident only narrowly averted after driverless train rolls four miles down Northern line
A runaway train travelled four miles through five stations on the London underground without a driver yesterday.
Following what was described by the RMT union as a major safety failure, passenger services on the line running through the heart of the city were diverted to clear the way for the train, which had broken free while being towed by another.
It only narrowly missed a passenger service at Archway station in north London, according to the union.
Passengers faced big delays after the train rolled south for 13 minutes before coming to a halt at Warren Street station just before 7am.
The engineering train was being used for works on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, near Archway, when it broke down at 5.25am.
Engineers coupled it to an out-of-service passenger train, and began to tow it northwards. But at 6.44am the defective train broke free and began rolling southwards.
London Underground staff quickly diverted passenger trains to the Bank branch of the Northern line, and sent the runaway train through the Charing Cross branch. It passed through five underground stations before coming to a halt at a sixth, Warren Street, four miles from where it had become loose.
London Underground, which pledged a full investigation, has suspended the use of all similar engineering trains until further inquiries can be made. It said the trains were operated by a contractor.
An RMT spokesman said: "We are appalled and horrified at this major incident during passenger traffic hours which could have very easily resulted in disaster."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/aug/13/london-underground-runaway-train-tube
RMT union says major incident only narrowly averted after driverless train rolls four miles down Northern line
A runaway train travelled four miles through five stations on the London underground without a driver yesterday.
Following what was described by the RMT union as a major safety failure, passenger services on the line running through the heart of the city were diverted to clear the way for the train, which had broken free while being towed by another.
It only narrowly missed a passenger service at Archway station in north London, according to the union.
Passengers faced big delays after the train rolled south for 13 minutes before coming to a halt at Warren Street station just before 7am.
The engineering train was being used for works on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, near Archway, when it broke down at 5.25am.
Engineers coupled it to an out-of-service passenger train, and began to tow it northwards. But at 6.44am the defective train broke free and began rolling southwards.
London Underground staff quickly diverted passenger trains to the Bank branch of the Northern line, and sent the runaway train through the Charing Cross branch. It passed through five underground stations before coming to a halt at a sixth, Warren Street, four miles from where it had become loose.
London Underground, which pledged a full investigation, has suspended the use of all similar engineering trains until further inquiries can be made. It said the trains were operated by a contractor.
An RMT spokesman said: "We are appalled and horrified at this major incident during passenger traffic hours which could have very easily resulted in disaster."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/aug/13/london-underground-runaway-train-tube
