Great Heck, Feb 28th 2001

[Burnside]

10 years ago, Gary Hart drove his Land Rover with a car on a trailer behind off the M62 and onto the East Coast Main Line at Great Heck near Selby.

As Hart was on the phone to the emergency services, his cars were hit by a GNER Mk4 set which derailed fouling the opposite line just as a Freightliner Class 66 hauling a coal train was coming the opposite way.

Ten innocent people lost their lives.

Hart was sentenced to 5 years in prison (equating to just 6 months per death) and was released after just half this.

It was discovered that Hart had been up all night on the internet and was tired while behind the wheel.

Without going into the disgraceful comments in todays press where Hart tries to excuse himself of any blame or responsibility, please spare a few thoughts for the victims of this terrible tragedy.

On a happier note, James Dunn, one of the sons of Steve Dunn, the Freightliner train driver has followed in his late fathers footsteps and is a train driver himself.

Great Heck, February 28th 2001.

[yt03ayf]

When Great Heck occurred i was only 6 so didn't feel much impact at the time however now i do and my thoughts are with everyone involved because lets not forgot those hurt in the crash as well as those killed. I am pleased that James Dunn became a driver and hope he enjoys it.

[kendall17]

6? Wow.

I felt the impact. I had a fall at primary school the night before at athletics club, i was in year 5.
I went to A&E the next morning, to shockingly find it empty. I was told that as i had turned up, i'll be sent straight trhough to x-ray within minutes to determine the case. I was told that i had broke my wrist and was in and out within 40mins.

I explained my shock of this and was told they were expecting serious trauma.

That is when it hit me, something serious had happened. I was expecting people rushing in as i was walking out.

Thankfully, i missed it and was out before their arrival.

May i take this note to say that this incident has helped to improve safety on motorway bridges around railway tracks.

Thankfully, it was only 10, and may the innocent 10 rest in peace.

[SCH117X]

It probably holds a record for the reason for the crash being identified very very quickly, yet it did not stop BBC Yorkshire putting out a program on how unsafe trains were that evening. When Alan Whitehouse pointed out the reason being a van off the motorway he was politely told to shut up (or the equivalent of) as they has another 27 mins of anti-rail propagana to put out.