A PENSIONER died when the car he was in broke down on a level crossing and was struck by a freight train.

A coroner yesterday heard of the “nightmare” death of 85-year-old Thomas Pizzey in Sandy Lane, Yarnton on January 3.

Mr Pizzey was in a wheelchair in the back of a Renault Kangoo being driven by civil partner Malcolm Kimberley, 78, when the engine cut out on the crossing.

Mr Kimberley – who suffered serious injuries – tried to restart the car but it was too late and the impact of the train hitting the vehicle threw Mr Pizzey, from Banbury, out of his wheelchair and the car and on to the tracks.

The car fault could not be established but the Harrowby Road resident’s injuries may have been less severe if his wheelchair was more securely fastened, a coroner said.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Nicola Wood said: “As the driver accelerated to come across the crossing the car ‘stalled’ and the engine stopped.”

She told deputy coroner Alison Thompson at Old County Hall, Oxford, yesterday: “He tried to start the car a number of times but with no success.”

Stephen McDermott and partner Louise Poulter stopped their car nearby and rushed to a “panicking” Mr Kimblerley, who was “still trying to start the car right up to the time of impact” at 3.37pm.

Dc Wood said the driver of the train, which was travelling from Manchester to Southampton, braked and sounded its horn on approach.

She said Mr Kimberley had previously reported to a garage that the car had once failed to start but it passed an MoT test in March last year.

Network Rail section supervisor Jon Waddy said the crossing's barriers were operated automatcially by track circuits which detected approaching trains.

These give a minimum of 27 seconds from the barriers coming down until a train passes and Mr Waddy said in this case the time lapse was 45 seconds.

The crossing “worked absolutely correctly”, Mr Waddy said, adding: “If somebody had picked up the phone immediately and said ‘stop’ it may well have been still too late.”

Thames Valley Police vehicle examiner Philip Balderstone said the extent of damage to the car meant tests were inconclusive but the “most probable” reason was a failure of its engine management system.

Mr Pizzey was wearing a seatbelt and the wheelchair winch mechanism was attached but two other tether points were not, he said, creating “a lot of available movement”.

The coroner said it was a “nightmare scenario”, adding: “The horror of being there and not being able to start the car does not bear thinking about.”

After hearing from pathologist Eve Fryer, Mrs Thompson said Mr Pizzey, who had severe mobility issues, probably died as a result of striking the ground when thrown from the car.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, she said: “Had the wheelchair been tethered properly it is more likely he would have remained in the vehicle and he would have suffered less severe injuries.”

She also concluded there “was a problem with the engine management system” but added: “We can’t take it further than that.”

Two nieces were at the inquest and in a statement said: “This was a very tragic way for my uncle to die and the family are sad that his long life ended in this way.”

They said the family felt “very sorry” for the train driver and they “in no way hold him responsible”.

On November 12 a woman in her 40s, from Banbury, had to be cut from her black Volkswagen Golf after it was struck by a train travelling from Bournemouth to Manchester, and was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

She was detained under the Mental Health Act and remains at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford.