Croydon tram crash ‘almost happened a week earlier when vehicle “lifted onto one side” at same corner’
A SHAKEN commuter warned that a tram he was travelling on “lifted onto one side” just over a week before the horror crash which killed seven.
Andy Nias wrote that he thought his “time was up” when the driver took the same corner "at 40mph".
It comes as footage emerged online showing a tram following the same route as the vehicle which crashed yesterday.
The tram can be seen leaving Sandilands station in Croydon before heading down hill on the track.
The two-carriage vehicle is similar to the one which derailed yesterday and has a 12mph limit on bends.
Tram user Andy told friends of his lucky escape on October 31 at 6:26am.
Yesterday’s tram came off rails and careered on to its side just after 6am.
Andy wrote: “Oh mate... 30 of us on the tram this morning and we all thought our time was up.
“Tram driver took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph!! I swear the tram lifted onto one side.
“Everyone still shaking. It's mad.”
In a further post today, Nias said he had reported the incident to British Transport police.
Other tram users also took to social media in the wake of the crash which left more than 50 people injured.
One described the journey as often feeling like a “roller coaster”.
Jennifer Charlotte Saul wrote on Facebook: “I always feel unsafe on the tram between Lloyd park and sandilands. The speeds they get up to on that stretch is insane.”
On Twitter wrote @ITS_ESEOSA : “I've always hated that corner in sandilands. How can you do 40mph on a corner that is meant for 12mph.”
It comes as tributes pour in for the first named victim of the horror.
Teen football fan Dane Chinnery, 19, was on his way to work when the tram came off rails and careered on to its side.
Today friends and family paid tribute to the Crystal Palace fan as it emerged a young child is also thought to be among the victims.
Lloyd Allen wrote: “ A lovely caring beautiful inside and out young man was taken far too soon yesterday.
“I never heard a bad word about him or him have a bad word to say about anyone.
“He was a credit to everyone in the Chinnery-Hall family.
“Gonna miss you lovely boy.”
Conner Lawrence wrote on Facebook: “ Words can’t even begin to describe how we are all feeling.
“Dane is the funniest boy I’ve ever met in my life.
“If anyone ever needed anything he'd be there doing all he can to help.”
Fans of Crystal Palace are now trying to arrange a tribute to the teen who was on his way to work at flood response firm Hydro Cleansing Ltd.
One wrote: “The life of our brother was taken from him. Aged 19, Dane lost his life with the tram crash on his way to work.
"He was red, white and blue all the way through, and simply loved Palace.”
Tom Dale, 20, was on the tram and recalled nodding over to his old school friend Mr Chinnery, who was already sitting on the tram when he boarded.
The pair, who went to Addington High School together and took part in performing arts, were on their way to work.
Mr Dale said that after the tram crashed he was looking for his friend, and asking, "Where's Dane? Where's Dane?", but all he could see was Mr Chinnery's boot where he had been sitting.
"It was like walking out of a war zone," the chef said.
Mr Dale, who was badly bruised, said of Mr Chinnery: "He was just a friendly, genuine lad, did no harm to nobody really. No one deserves for this to happen to them."
The family of victim Dane were today too distraught to speak about their loss.
More than 50 people were injured yesterday when the tram crashed just after 6am in east Croydon yesterday morning.
The driver, a 42-year-old man from Beckenham, was freed on conditional police bail.
The father of two, who was among 51 injured when the tram came off rails and careered on to its side, said: “A man next to me had no head.
“Every time I close my eyes that is all I see — his body.”
Fellow passengers on the early morning Croydon Tramlink service in South London told how one man was flung through a window.
Others were left trapped and screaming in the wreckage.
Cleaner Martin Bamford, 30, said after police arrested the driver for suspected manslaughter: “There was a girl who was on top of me and she did not look very much alive at all.
“She was bleeding all over the place. I don’t think she made it.
“People had broken legs and head injuries. There was blood everywhere. It was carnage.”
The dad-of-four, who lives in New Addington where the tram had set off, yelled to the driver to ask if he was OK.
Martin revealed: “He just said, ‘I think I blacked out’.”
A source close to the probe into the horror said the driver told police the same.
Martin last night told how he thought the tram was travelling at up to 60mph.
The cleaner, who was injured and taken to Croydon University Hospital, said: “Normally the bend would be taken at six or seven miles an hour.
“This felt like 50 or 70. It just sling-shotted everyone to the other side of the carriage, people on top of people.”
The tram had set off at 5.40am bound for Wimbledon.
It crashed in East Croydon just after 6am.
The speed limit for the sharp left turn at Sandilands is 12mph.
The Rail Accident Investigation Board last night said the tram was thought to have been going “significantly faster”.
Today people living and working close to the scene of the tragic tram accident spoke of their shock and grief.
Julie Bales, who works at a nearby butchers, said customers are struggling to come to terms with the trauma of the crash.
The 61-year-old said: "Everyone's in shock. It's so hard to get your head around.
"I think everybody wants answers, this is the problem.
"We are waiting for people to let us know who was involved in the crash now."
Mick Watts, who has lived in the area for more than six decades, said residents have come together to support each other.
He said: "It's just so sad. New Addington is New Addington, it's a close community and it always has been.
"It's taken a big impact on the community. I expect there will be more news over the coming days about people from the area."
More than 100 emergency workers battled for six hours to free everyone from the wrecked tram.
The last of those trapped was taken to hospital at around midday.
As rescuers raced against time PM Theresa May praised their efforts dealing with the “terrible incident”.
Passengers were taken to two hospitals — with 43 described as “walking wounded”.
Eight others with severe injuries included three who were left fighting for life.
Surgeons were last night battling to save them, raising fears the death toll could rise.
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Survivor Rui, who has caught the tram every day for a year, was heading to work in Kingston.
He suffered a sprained arm and bruised foot — and told how screaming commuters were “thrown about like toys in a box”.
He said: “I’ve been getting trams for 9½ years and never felt them go that fast.
“I was sat on my phone on Facebook and suddenly everything was pitch black.
“There was just screaming and moaning. People were everywhere on the floor.
“I wanted to call my wife but my phone was broken.
“Everyone started reaching for their phones.
“I asked a man if I could borrow his.
“I called my wife and told her. ‘I’m OK but a lot of people are not’.
“It took about ten minutes for an ambulance to arrive, then another five minutes for them to break in. They got in through the back window.
“People were banging on the walls of the tram, screaming and begging for water.
“The police let people out and started to give first aid to those who were bleeding.
“We waited for the people who needed help the most to be taken away then we were taken by bus to the hospital.”
“In one way I am very lucky. I have been slightly hurt. Maybe my hoodie protected my head.
“But for others it is much worse. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones.”
He told how the journey started out like any other, saying: “Every day it is the same faces and everyone nods at each other politely.
“You say ‘hello’ because you get the tram with these people every day.
“Normally there is a woman with two children young children who gets on.
“Luckily in recent weeks I haven’t seen her.”
Fellow survivor Nathan Gibson, 21, posted a Facebook snap of blood pouring from his cut eye.
The railworker, who also suffered from bruises to his head, said drily: “Not the best look to have today. Some a lot more worse off.”
His brother later described him as “traumatised”.
Last night it emerged commuters had a lucky escape at the same bend just over a week ago.
Andy Nias told how he was left terrified on the tram.
He even posted on Facebook: “Tram driver took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph!! I swear the tram lifted onto one side.”
The tram’s version of an aircraft black box was last night being examined.
British Transport Police assistant chief constable Robin Smith said: “A blackout, falling asleep and a wet track are all being looked into.”
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who toured the crash scene, said: “All of our thoughts go out to the families of those who lost their lives.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan also made a visit.
The Croydon Tramlink is the capital’s only tram network.
It operates from Wimbledon to Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington, via Croydon.
It is run by Tram Operations Limited, a subsidiary of First Group. Transport for London is responsible for tram frequency, overall performance, maintenance and improvement work.
Last night British Transport Police confirmed: “A 42-year-old man from Beckenham has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and is currently in police custody.”