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©1999-2007
S.J. Parascandolo

 
 

Mock Crash (Wellesley Road)

Sunday 11th July 1999 (0900 - 1300)

See photos below text: -

Wellesley Road was the scene of Tramlink's first 'major incident'. A tram hit a bus blocking the exit doors and a body managed to get trapped under the wheels. A very unlikely set of events!

At 0900, tram 2531 arrived outside BT's Delta Point building and a dummy was placed under the front wheels. Later, police coned off one lane in each direction and positioned a double decker bus as if the tram had smashed into the exit doors. Large crowds of both special observers and representatives of the emergency services and bystanders watched as fire engines, police and ambulances arrived on the scene.

The tram and the bus were full of casualties. Organisers had ensured that the tram doors wouldn't open and that the passengers in the top deck of the bus could not use the stairs. After some discussion over keys, the tram doors were opened and victims escorted to further along the track for fist aid. Ambulance crews worked on the dummy under the wheels attaching a drip. Bus passengers were released using the emergency exit and those in the top deck climbed though the rear window onto the top of a fire engine.

Tramlink's rescue team arrived from Therapia Lane with lifting equipment and slowly assembled the jacks before raising the tram up. Once raised by some 8 inches, the ambulance crew were able to get the casualty on a stretcher and carry them away to the ambulance. We all thought the casualty would have died of boredom as it had lay for some 3 hours under the tram (Although the time from the emergency services arriving to the body being released was about 90 min.) It was still a very long wait though!

Hopefully the skills learned will be remembered in case it happens for real - Hopefully it won't.

Another exercise in Sandilands Tunnel is planned for August.

 
Photos
 

The 'Body' lies under 2531 for 2 hours before the mock rescue begins

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 487

Jacking up 2531 as part of the mock crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 486

Fire Brigade arrive at the scene of the Mock Crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 485

Firefighters work out how to open the doors of 2531 after the Wellesley Road mock crash

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 484

'Survivors' recover after the mock crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 483

Firefighters work to release the dummy from under 2531 in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 482

Jacking up 2531 as part of the mock crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 481

Setting up jacks to lift 2531 during the Wellesley Road mock crash

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 480

2531 jacked up in Wellesley Road during the mock crash

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 479

The 'Body' is carried away after the mock crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 478

2531 Slams into a bus. (Well nearly - A crash simulation in Wellesley Road)

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 477

Onlookers observe the mock crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 476

Survivors are lead away from the Wellesley Road mock crash

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 475

Emergency services decide how to deal with the mock crash in Wellesley Road

By: S.J.Parascandolo

Date: 11/07/1999

ID: 474

   
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