Rail crash near Talerddig could have been avoided, inquiry says

A head-on crash between two Transport for Wales passenger trains near Talerddig could have been avoided if one or both sanding systems had been activated, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said in its final report. The impact on the Cambrian Line killed 66-year-old David Tudor Evans, from Capel Dewi near Aberystwyth, seriously injured four other people and sent 11 more to hospital.

The collision happened at about 7.26pm on 21 October 2024 near the Talerddig Loop, a passing point on the mostly single-track route where the trains were meant to cross. Train 1J25, the 18:31 Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth service, struck train 1S71, the 19:09 Machynlleth to Shrewsbury service, in a violent encounter that left the westbound driver seriously injured and trapped while trying to leave the cab.

Passengers were caught in the shock of the impact. One described being knocked unconscious before hearing shouting and seeing people lying on the floor, a scene that underscored how quickly the collision overwhelmed the carriages. The scale of the injuries, together with the death of Mr Evans, has turned the inquiry into a search for practical failings that could have stopped the trains before they met.

The RAIB said the outcome hinged on wheel adhesion and the use of sanding equipment, which helps trains grip slippery rail. Its report found the crash would not have happened if one or both of the automatic or manual sanding systems had been activated. Investigators also found a lack of clarity among drivers about how the emergency sanding system should be used.

That finding is central to the report’s accountability message. RAIB issued nine recommendations, including changes to the design, maintenance and testing of trainborne sanding equipment and a review of driver training. The aim is not only to improve the equipment itself, but to remove uncertainty in the cab at the moment when a driver needs to act fast.

Transport for Wales Rail Limited and Network Rail said incidents of this nature are extremely rare and said they would consider the recommendations to help prevent a similar incident. For passengers on the Cambrian Line, the lesson is stark: a routine passing move at Talerddig became a fatal collision because a safety layer that might have improved grip was not used when it mattered most.