Torfield coach crash

The Torfield coach crash was a coach crash in Torfield which took place on 31 December 2011, when a overcrowded tour bus overturned in the car park of Torfield railway station.

At 1329, FirstGroup coach H326 DTR overturned while pulling into Torfield station car park. The speed limit on the corner entering the car park is 5mph, as is the speed limit in the car park itself, however the coach rounded the curve at over 20mph. Due to illegally parked vehicles on both sides of the road at the corner (including DX55 CUO), the coach had to take a different line than usual round the corner. These two factors led to the coach falling over to it's left side before smashing through the metal fence at the edge of the railway station platform and coming to a rest on it's side partly on the platform.

The platform at the railway station was partly closed in the area around the accident, with only enough for one door of one carriage remaining open. The car park was fully closed. 42 people were treated on scene for minor injuries, with 8 people, including the driver, going to hospital.

At 1400 the coach was placed upright, and another FirstGroup driver came out to drive the coach (which had suffered only minor damage), back to depot. Shortly after, the area was cleared up, a parking ticket was issued to the illegally parked vehicles, and the car park and platform re-opened, albeit without a metal fence at the back of the platform.