'There was nothing I could do': Train driver tells of heartbreaking moment 14-year-old girl was killed on Walsall railway crossing
“It was like a freeze-frame image. There was nothing I could have done."
The words of train driver Richard Scone who told of his helplessness moments before a schoolgirl was struck and killed.
Sarah Athersmith, aged 14, died after being hit by a train on the Wallows Lane Crossing on the railway near Bescot Stadium just after 3pm on September 26.
A coroner has now suggested the foot crossing could be closed permanently to prevent further deaths.
An inquest heard how tragic Sarah, who was described as a ‘loving girl with a beaming smile’, had stopped to feed horses on her way home from school with a friend before using the crossing.
She was hit by an oncoming train moments after a freight train had also passed.
Speaking yesterday at Black Country Coroner’s Court in Oldbury, the London Midland train driver recounted the incident on his route to Birmingham New Street - and said he believed Sarah's death could have been avoided.
He explained: “I sounded my horn and reduced speed. I could see a freight train coming towards me. When all the trucks had cleared the crossing I became aware of two persons, a boy and a girl who looked about 13. I was doing 40 mph.
“It was like a freeze-frame image there was nothing I could have done. She looked up and saw the train and started running.”
Mr Scone followed emergency procedures before heartbreakingly telling the court how he went to Sarah’s side.
He added: “I found a faint rapid pulse in her wrist but then when I checked again there was no pulse. I held her hand and told her I was sorry.
“I don’t agree that there could not be anymore technology put in place because if there had of been that it would have been avoidable.”
Despite Network Rail bosses saying that there was ‘no significant risk’ at the crossing, Mr Siddique said he would be writing a report in a bid to prevent future deaths.
No formal application for the closure of the crossing had ever been made but there had been discussions surrounding closure in 2014 due to anti-social behaviour and crime.
Ben Parish, safety specialist at Network Rail, said that the crossing was not in the top 20 risk rankings.
“It was rated 189 out of 770, so it by no means sat as one of our priorities.
“There was no significant risk,” he added.
Kevin Gannon, team leader highways Walsall Council, said: “Our meeting in 2014 was due to the the theft of cables on the line and the level crossing was access on to it.
“Following this incident an emergency closure was put in place. It is not for the council to either support or not support closure - it is based on evidence submitted.”
An independent rail safety investigation also determined that the design of the crossing was compliant with all safety features in place and no further investigation was needed.
The cause of death given was traumatic head injuries.
Giving a conclusion of accidental death, Senior Coroner Zafar Siddique said: “I do have concerns particularly when trains are crossing each other and to the visibility to the driver.
“There should be some system in place that could maybe slow one of the trains down.
“I do have concerns that future deaths could happen again and I will write a report to look at this.
“One measure is to consider closure with a formal application. It appears that since it’s closure there has been no real impact on the community.
“I will write to see to see what could be done whether that concludes closing it permanently or to see if any technology could be brought into place.”
