Man 'planned' train crash death

Court told that Brian Drysdale called a firm two hours before his death

A man who was killed when a high-speed train ploughed into his car made a telephone call two hours before he was hit, saying he was "waiting to die".

An inquest at Slough into the 2004 crash at Ufton Nervet, Berkshire was told Brian Drysdale, 48, had rung a security firm in Kent.

An operator told the jury Mr Drysdale said: "I am waiting...to die. I am going to do this, you will soon see."

Seven people were killed in the crash in November 2004.

The operator told the court Mr Drysdale specifically mentioned planning to be in a car that would be hit by a train.

Obstacle detection

The court also heard from train network signal engineer, David Jones, who said there are obstacle detection systems, which can tell an approaching train whether anything is obstructing the track ahead, but they are not used in the UK.

Asked whether such a device could have saved lives in the crash involving the First Great Western Paddington-to-Plymouth train at Ufton Nervet, Mr Jones said "yes".

Barry Strevens, 55, from Wells, Somerset, Emily Webster, 14, from Morehampstead, Devon, Anjanette Rossi, 38, from Speen, Berkshire, and her daughter Louella Main, nine, and train driver Stanley Martin, 54, from Torquay, Devon, all died in the crash.

Leslie Matthews, 72, from Warminster, Wiltshire died in hospital the following day.