‘An Introduction to the RAIB’, by Keith Blackshaw, 5th May 2026
5th May 2026 Meeting.
This month we welcomed Keith Blackshaw who gave us some detailed insights to the complex workings and procedures of the RAIB. He started with some background, firstly discussing early accidents. Just what counted as the first railway accident is difficult to determine: there were certainly several accidents before the infamous one with William Huskisson at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830. Other accidents were mentioned, such as Quintinshill which led to Rule 55: still with us today, albeit under a far more complex title! We then moved forward to the tragic accidents of the modern era and how the RAIB swings into action immediately to investigate. The important point is that the RAIB is only interested in establishing the cause, with a view to improving safety, not to apportion blame. Two case studies were examined in detail: a brake failure on the Caledonian Sleeper which caused it to run through Edinburgh Waverley in 2019 and the Carmont derailment in 2022. A fascinating and very well-presented show.
As there was a little time left at the end, Rob Freeman showed some excellent photos of 1960s BR steam from the collection of a recently deceased friend.
Rob Freeman, Branch Committee Member