'Sparks flew' as Selby trains collided

Four rail workers and six passengers died in the collision

A freight train driver has told the inquest into the Selby rail disaster how a derailed carriage came speeding towards his train with "sparks flying".

Driver Andrew Hill was slightly injured in the February 2001 crash that killed four rail workers and six passengers.

His freight train collided with a GNER passenger train as it derailed after a collision with a Land Rover that had left the M62 motorway and plunged on to the track.

The Land Rover driver, Gary Hart, of Strubby, Lincolnshire, was convicted of 10 counts of causing death by dangerous driving and sentenced to five years in jail in January last year.

Selby victims Steve Baldwin, N Yorkshire Steve Dunn, N Yorkshire Alan Ensor, N Yorkshire Barry Needham, N Yorkshire Ray Robson, Tyneside Rob Shakespeare, E Yorkshire Paul Taylor, Tyneside Christopher Terry, N Yorkshire Clive Vidgen, N Yorkshire John Weddle, Tyneside How the crash happened

The front of the GNER train came travelling towards the fully-laden coal train with "sparks flying," Mr Hill told the inquest at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate on its second day.

He remembered telling his colleague Steve Dunn to "get the brakes on".

Collision course

Mr Hill saw the rear of the jack-knifed coach swing out into the path of his train about 100 yards ahead.

"The coach was on a collision course," West Yorkshire Coroner David Hinchliff said as he went through Mr Hill's statement with him, recalling the impact and subsequent rescue attempt as he was trapped in the cab.

"You said to Steve 'get out' and you remember seeing the dark blue livery of the GNER train."

Mr Hill said shortly before the collision he recalled seeing a green light switch to red further up the line.

"It suggests something is seriously wrong," he told the jury.

After the collision Mr Hill was suspended upside down in his cab near Mr Dunn, 39, who was later confirmed dead.

"You remember feeling Steve's hand. You squeezed his hand, called his name a couple of times and got no response," Mr Hinchliff said.

On the first day of the inquest, Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Bracken said the derailment was "probably caused" by metal from the vehicle, which had plunged on to the East Coast mainline from the M62 motorway.