AN INQUIRY has been concluded into an accident at Basingstoke railway station in which a shipping container smashed into the platform canopy.

About 130 metres of the canopy above platform one were destroyed after it was hit by the “high-cube” container, which was on a freight train passing through the station at 25mph.

The train was travelling from Wakefield Europort to Southampton on December 19 last year. The left-hand top corner of the container struck the wooden ornamental valance at 10.13am, causing pieces of wood to shower down.

The inquiry, which was carried out by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport, has concluded the accident happened because the container and the wagon it had been loaded on to, were too high for the route it was travelling.

It reveals that incorrect information about the container was entered at Wakefield Europort by the train preparer.

However, it also suggests there is anecdotal evidence that such high containers have successfully passed through Basingstoke before, but on platform two, where the canopy has been cut back.

After the accident, the train was stopped seven miles beyond Basingstoke, by Steventon, and following an assessment by Network Rail it was sent to a location where the container could be safely removed.

The train consisted of 17 container wagons and some of the containers were carrying what is officially designated as “dangerous goods”. The container, which struck the canopy, was empty and was raised a foot higher than other containers.

English Welsh and Scottish Railway (since renamed DB Schenker) operated the train and the container belonged to Maersk Container Industry Group.

The report makes recommendations including examining the feasibility of revising the container storage and handling arrangements at Wakefield Europort.