Yahoo News Family of beloved Babbacombe Cliff Railway victim still awaiting answers
The family of a well-respected and experienced lift engineer who tragically died while working as a volunteer at Babbacombe Cliff Railway are still awaiting answers 18 months after the tragedy. For the first time, he has been named publicly as 79-year-old Cyril Smith who was better known by his middle name David.
It has also been confirmed he died on September 4, 2022 after being struck by a railway carriage when on the tracks. A full inquest hearing is yet to be scheduled as investigations remain ongoing.
The Torquay visitor attraction which takes passengers in carriages up and down the steep cliff to Oddicombe Beach immediately closed after the incident. A month later, an improvement notice was served by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It highlighted serious safety and maintenance failures that were said to have put both passengers and staff at 'serious' risk at the railway.
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It stated it had failed to ensure the cliff railway was maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. It added operating the cliff lift with the defects put "passengers, employees and others at risk from serious injury".
An inquest into David's death was opened at Plymouth Coroner's Court on September 12, 2022. During the short hearing, it was confirmed David, who was born in Loughborough and was married and lived in Maidencombe, Torquay, died at the bottom station near the beach at Babbacombe Cliff Railway.
David's occupation was listed as being a retired lift engineer and a volunteer engineer. At that time, the medical cause of his death was said to be unascertained pending tests.
The now retired senior Plymouth Coroner Ian Arrow stated: "The circumstances of the death are that Cyril had been working on the railway and had been on the tracks when the carriage was given the okay to go. Colleagues shouted at Cyril to move but he kept going.
"He was told to move to the left but he moved to the right and the carriage hit Cyril. The emergency stop button was activated and Cyril became wedged between the carriage and the wall.
"Paramedics attended the scene and confirmed that Cyril had died at 10.07am."
An investigation into David's death is still being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
A HSE spokesperson said: "Our investigation remains ongoing and we continue to assist the coroner, while we await a full inquest date to be set."
It added it was not aware of any further breaches since the notices that were issued in 2022. According to its website, the breaches have now been complied with.
Babbacome Cliff Railway reopened around a year after David's death following a £250,000 refurbishment which included on-site changing track switches, track bearers, sleepers and updating some of the railway's heritage parts. Its last closure was in 2023 for winter maintenance. However, it is still yet to reopen for the new season due to ongoing delayed work.
David's children Robin and Amanda are calling for answers to fully explain what happened on the day of his death. They described their dad as being a 'unique individual and gentleman' who was 'exceedingly young at heart'.
They said: "Dad made a significant contribution to lifts in the southwest of the UK. He installed lifts in hotels and residential buildings in the south west when he ran a company based in Torbay.
"Later he repaired lifts in hotels, hospitals, and shopping centres. He worked as a volunteer at the cliff railway and was much loved by many in Torbay and the south west because of the work he did over many decades.
"We feel the nature of his demise has not been adequately explained to justify our loss. It is obvious that he would have lived an active life for many more years without this accident happening."
They added: "Dad’s funeral service at Churston Church was completely full with local people who he had grown to know over the years, all with touching stories about dad and paying their respects. He is much missed."
The historic railway dates back to 1926. The owners of the railway are registered charity Babbacombe Cliff Railway Community Interest Company (CIO).
After the death, chairman Lindsay Yelland said in a statement: "All of us at the railway are devastated by the death of a dearly-loved engineer yesterday in a tragic accident unrelated to the operation of the railway. We are fully co-operating with the HSE."
In May 2023, it issued a statement that said the death was not due to any malfunction of the attraction. It added the prolonged closure of the railway was not due to the HSE notice, but regular annual winter maintenance and planned works being delayed.
The latest update on the Babbacombe Cliff Railway Facebook page was posted on March 28.
Mr Yelland said: "During our pre-opening insurance inspection today, a small amount of water ingress was detected which had caused damage to an electrical component. This is due to the sheer amount of rain in the last few months and as the engine room in two floors underground there is little that can be done.
"This new electrical unit has had to be ordered from a manufacturer and will be delivered as soon as possible. The rest of the works have been completed and this delay is extremely frustrating for all of us.
"At the point of writing this update delivery would look to be during the early part of May. As we have said before, no parts for the railway are available off the shelf. This part is unique to us and has to be manufactured.
"The railway will open for the season this year and the investment of over £150,000 in the last 18 months will secure its future for years to come."
