A WEST Somerset Railway staff member had a miraculous escape after being crushed by a locomotive weighing over 90 tons during preparations for last weekend’s Spring Steam Gala.

It happened at Bishops Lydeard station when the 69-year-old Bulleid Light Pacific express engine ‘Sir Keith Park’, a guest locomotive at the gala, was being unloaded from two lorries.

According to eye-witnesses the railway worker, a senior member of staff became trapped between the locomotive and its tender.

He was rushed to hospital but escaped with broken ribs and minor injuries and is now recovering at home.

This week WSR general manager Paul Conibeare said he had spoken to the staff member and wished him a speedy recovery. When well enough, he will take part in an internal investigation into the incident which has already started.

It has also been reported to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and the Office of Rail and Road, which will be conducting their own inquiries.

“We have the very highest standards of safety for both passengers and staff and our safety record over the years is second to none,” said WSR director of marketing and communications Richard Lillis.

“Safety is obviously our primary concern and our own investigation will look into every detail of what happened to make sure that something similar is unlikely to happen again.”

The Battle of Britain class engine, owned by Southern Locomotives Ltd, was being unloaded at Bishops Lydeard to take part in the gala celebrations to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Somerset and Dorset joint railway.

Named after a Battle of Britain hero, the locomotive regularly runs on the Severn Valley railway and was rescued from a scrapyard in 1966.