TWO railmen were killed by a track maintenance vehicle because operational safety rules were ignored or inadequate, a jury has heard.
The men died after being hit by an RRV — a JCB on rails — reversing blindly and at speed on the line between Cannock and Rugeley, it was alleged.
The accident happened in September, 2004, when the track was being replaced.
On trial at Stafford Crown Court accused of health and safety breaches are the driver of the RRV, David Jones, the RRV controller John Brady, and the senior supervisor for contractors Carillion, Wayne Brigden, also from Birmingham.
Also on trial is one of the contracting companies involved in the operation, VG Clements Ltd.
Jones, 48, of Parkland Crescent, Appleby Magna; Brady, 44, of Birmingham, and Brigden, 29, also of Birmingham, each deny failing to take reasonable care for safety. Jones and Brady also deny endangering the safety of persons on the railway.
VG Clements Ltd denies failing to ensure the safety of its employees and persons not employed by them.
The jury was told that Network Rail and Carillion have already pleaded guilty to health and safety offences.
Philip Mott QC, prosecuting, said the two men who died, Martin Oates, 38, from Sheffield, and David Pennington, 46, from Burnley, were employed by VG Clements Ltd, as part of the crew of a rail delivery vehicle, known as an RDT.
The RDT was delivering new rails for the section from Cannock to Rugeley, dropping them off between existing rails as it went along the line.
Working in tandem with it was the RRV, checking that the new rails were not causing an obstruction.
Because of a road crossing obstruction, the RDT needed to reverse back along the line, which meant the RRV would have to swivel round so it could reverse.
Mr Mott said: "On the night, that wasn’t done. It was left in position where all it could do was reverse.
"The RRV did just that, reversing without swivelling itself around, without any effective warning, too fast — 12mph, running speed.
"It did so when the people in charge of the RRV couldn’t see properly, without changing the lighting, white lights going forward, red lights going backwards.
"With its red light showing as if it was going away it reversed back as fast as it could, without being able to see. Tragically, two of the crew of the RDT were in the way, concentrating, not seeing or realising that the RRV was coming down the track at them and hitting them and killing them.
"Jones was the driver. He was facing Rugeley when he was going towards Cannock. He is sitting there with limited visibility."
The trial is expected to last a month.
(Proceeding).