Soham Rail Disaster 80th Anniversary Commemoration

[Donna Martin]

Hi All

I would like to introduce myself as the long time Project Leader of the Soham Museum project (Please note that we do not have an physical museum to visit as yet but we are working on it). I am the leading expert/researcher of the Soham Rail Disaster, so some members may well have come across me before. On Sunday 2nd June 2024 Soham Museum in partnership with St Andrew's Church, Soham, is commemorating the Railwaymen who saved our town in an event known as the Soham Rail Disaster, which occurred on the LNER old Newmarket to Ely line. 2024 is the 80th Anniversary of the explosion that destroyed Soham Station, when a train carrying bombs from Immingham to White Colne in preparation for the D-day landings, blew up. We are commemorating the four LNER railwaymen who saved our town; Driver Ben Gimbert, Fireman James Nightall, Signalman Frank Bridges and Guard Herbert Clarke.

The event is at St. Andrew's Church, Soham starting with a Thanksgiving Service at 10am. There will be an exhibition of the Soham Museum Rail Disaster collection as well as some of the March Museum collection. Talks about the Soham Rail Disaster are scheduled for 11am and 2pm. The event is free to attend. Please share and comment. Also, if you have any recollections of the above men, or the event, Soham Museum would love to hear from you for a future project.

If you would like to contact me outside the forum, please note our e-mail is currently non-operational. You can contact me on behalf of Soham Museum at millcottage71@btinternet.com

Sincerely Donna Martin (Project Leader) Soham Museum