Camden New Journal - News: ‘I thought it was a bomb’

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden New Journal - by SIMON WROE
Published: 8 November 2007

The severely damaged No 24 bus after it hit the railway viaduct in Prince of Wales Road

‘I thought it was a bomb’ – bus driver’s wrong turn

A BUNGLING bus driver lost the top deck of his bus when he opted for an alternative route through Kentish Town at the weekend.
Transport officials are still trying to ascertain why the driver chose to take the No 24 bus underneath the low-hanging railway viaduct in Prince of Wales Road shortly after midnight on Saturday.
It resulted in the entire roof being torn off the vehicle at the overpass, severing the bus at roughly head-height for passengers on the top deck and showering glass and twisted metal across the road.
Fortunately, no passengers were on board at the time.
David Sims was walking back to his home in Fortess Road after a night out in Chalk Farm when he came across the beheaded bus.
Mr Sims, 42, said: “I thought a bomb had gone off at first. It was a bizarre sight.
“The poor driver was just sat there on the side of the road, shaking. He looked like he was in shock.”
He added: “Anyone on the top deck of that bus would have been killed.”
A spokesman for Metroline, the operator of the bus, confirmed the bus was running out of service and that no one had been injured in the accident.
He added that it was the first time “that he knew of” that a double-decker bus had lost its roof at that spot.
He said: “The incident is under investigation.
“He was not a trainee driver and he should not have been on that road. We are investigating why he was.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: