Coroner's concerns after New Forest teen killed on track

Callum Rhys Evans, from Totton, tripped and fell onto a live railway line at Hinton Admiral station after he climbed down from the platform.

The 17-year-old Peter Symonds College student was electrocuted and suffered thermal injuries and third degree burns.

Last week assistant coroner Jason Pegg concluded Callum’s death was as a result of an accidental fall.

Callum Evans

Mr Pegg has now written to Network Railway due to concerns he has following evidence given at the inquest into Callum’s death.

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The coroner said a friend of Callum’s, who was at the railway station, said they had a lack of knowledge that there was a live electrified rail at the location.

If they knew about the third rail they would not have gone onto the tracks, the report says.

“The deceased and his friends had gone onto the railway tracks by dropping down from the central part of the platform,” said Mr Pegg’s report.

“The railway station has an absence of signage stating the presence and risk to life of a live rail on the railway tracks which can be seen by those entering the railway station or whilst on the central part of the platform.

“The only sign referring to the live rail is at the far sloped end of the platform, some distance from the station entrance and central part of the platform, which states ‘Do not touch live rail’.

“There is signage stating ‘No trespassing’ but nothing effectively communicating the presence of a live rail or the risk to life from that live rail.”

Hinton Admiral railway station

Mr Pegg said in his opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths at the station and Network Rail has the power to take such action.

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A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The death of such a young person is a terrible tragedy and shows why Network Rail works so hard with the British Transport Police to increase awareness of the dangers of the railway, through media campaigns such as You vs Train, school visits and through improvements to the railway itself.

“Those campaigns increase in visibility in peak periods, such as school holidays, and are often focussed on high-risk areas. As well as signage, Hinton Admiral station has gates at the platform ends to emphasise the importance of staying safe.

“We will continue to work with the BTP and will respond to the coroner in due course.”