Talk:Glanrhyd Bridge collapse

Contradiction

The non-free image that I have just added to the article seems to contradict the text:

While the passengers and staff were calmly making their way through to the rear carriage, the front carriage broke away and was swept downstream...

although another image on the source page [1] does show the leading carriage missing. How should this be resolved? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 15:10, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

The testimony of Anne Angus indicates that the two coaches remained coupled for ten minutes, while she was uncertain whether to stay in the front coach or climb through the water to the rear coach. This she eventually did, and was saved. Therefore, up to this point, the coaches were coupled and the corridor connection was still in place. Then, as the couple were trying to follow her, assisted by the workman, the front coach broke loose.

The earlier picture shows the two coaches close, but the corridor connection is clearly broken, and climbing through it no longer possible. Therefore it must have been taken after Anne climbed through, and (possibly soon) after the couple failed get through, but before the coach was washed away completely, as shown by the later picture.

I suggest that the earlier picture was taken as the coaches broke apart, and the front coach may have been moving away as it was taken. It is unclear who took it, but the ten minute interval between the initial collapse and the coaches parting seems to have given the photographer (on the far side of the river?) a chance to get their camera lined up in time to catch the moment of breakaway.

So, no contradiction, but a situation changing significantly as the photograph was taken. -- Verbarson  ^talk_edits 15:42, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

Except the incident happened before dawn. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 15:58, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

Further evidence from the DoT Report:

(para 35): "Shortly after seven o'clock with daylight just coming in he made his way across the road and into the fields alongside a fence."

(para 38) "He said he was able to see the train for some 150 yards before the bridge and it was travelling slower than normal but somewhat faster than walking pace. He estimated that the front coach remained above the water for some 20 minutes but by the time the police arrived it had turned away from the other camage and gone underwater."

This confirms the delay before the first coach broke away, and suggests there was sufficient light for photography, at least by the time of the breakaway. -- Verbarson  ^talk_edits 16:03, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

"turned away from the other carriage and gone underwater" is not "swept downstream". Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 16:09, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

Images such as those on [2] show the water much higher up the side of the rear carriage than in the image now on the article, and the front carriage almost totally submerged; I suggest the latter image was taken later, after waters receded.

I have been unable to find any images that show the two carriages further apart. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 16:15, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

I get you. So the front carriage was submerged, but never washed further away; and the black object, near the lower end of the rear carriage in the first photo of the article, is actually the only visible corner of the front carriage. -- Verbarson  ^talk_edits 17:52, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

That's my take. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 17:55, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

Seems to be confirmed by the video in this BBC report, 6 to 12 seconds in. -- Verbarson  ^talk_edits 17:59, 19 October 2025 (UTC)