This picture, taken from a train camera fixed to an Intercity 125 express, shows just how close a driver came to being hit on the Main line north of York.
At 14:04 hrs on Wednesday 3rd August 2016, the driver of the 07:55 Inverness – London King’s Cross, service operated by Virgin Trains East Coast, had to lie down next to his train to avoid being struck by another service (12:00 London - Inverness) that was passing on the adjacent line at approximately 105 mph.
No one was hurt, but the incident, at Kyle Beck near Tollerton, prompted a full health and safety investigation.
It followed a mix up over communications about whether the lines had been closed so the driver could carry out tests to his train.
"The signaller at York North workstation at the York rail operating centre (ROC) was a trainee working under the supervision of an experienced signaller.
The trainee signaller had not previously granted a line blockage to protect a driver needing to examine their train, although he had practised the scenario as part of his training.
He had previously granted line blockages to controllers of site safety (COSSs) to protect staff accessing the track to carry out work on the infrastructure, on a number of occasions"
"The driver and the trainee signaller did not reach a clear understanding about stopping trains on the adjacent lines, and the driver subsequently alighted from the driving cab of his train, incorrectly believing it was safe to do so"
The RAIB report says that this incident demonstrates the importance of..
"Signallers and drivers repeating back messages so as to reach a clear understanding when communicating safety critical information.
Drivers remaining in their cab, when preparing to examine their train, until they have received positive confirmation that the adjacent line(s) have been blocked to traffic.
Drivers reporting near miss incidents involving people (themselves or others) on or near the line"