A railway bridge strike in Salisbury occured recently and the van that hit it suffered a lot of damage. I’d like to think that the bridge wasn’t damaged and it didn’t compromise the safety of train travellers.
A friend sent me the photos of the damaged van and I have no idea whether they phoned Network rail after the accident. The bridge in Cherry Orchard Lane is one of a number of low bridges in Salisbury. It has a height of 10′-3″ and the white markings show where that limit applies.
Looking at the photo below, it suggests to me that the left hand side of the vehicle roof made the impact as it seems to have twisted it. It has suffered significant damage to the body and I imagine that it’s going to cost a lot of money to repair.
What Caused The Railway Bridge Strike In Salisbury
So, did the driver misjudge the height?. Was he a foreign driver who didn’t understand imperial bridge height markings?. There are so many questions but either way, it was a railway bridge strike. It’s something that happens in Cherry Orchard Lane on a regular basis.
The following photo shows that the tail lift appears to have become detatched from the van after the impact. I don’t know how it ended up propped up against wall of the other bridge, maybe the driver moved it. I’m just glad that no pedestrians or motorists were injured in the collision.
Reporting a strike
I you are unlucky enough to hit a railway bridge then you, or someone on the scene, should report it to Network Rail. There is often an identifying plate attached to the wall of the bridge with an emergency number. The emergency 24 hour helpline is 03457 11 41 41
Andrew – Railway Bridge Strike in Salisbury