Railway Accidents

[Mickey]

Just a brief background, I have had a casual life long interest (since about 1967 when I was 10 years old) into british railway accidents after acquiring a book called BRITISH RAILWAY ACCIDENTS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by C.Hamilton Ellis first published in 1967 which I still have.

The first accident that I would like to post is taken from the Official Accident Report into a minor accident that happened at London's Victoria station in August 1910. The accident was basically caused by signalman's error in not putting back one points lever (no.23) in the frame and pulling another points lever (no.24) out of the frame the result of which was he accidently 'dropped' a train of ECS on the floor just beyond the platform ends as the train was departing the station (the driver of the ECS train was authorised to pass at danger the platform starting signal due to the signal being unable to be cleared at the time so bypassing the signal box interlocking). Fortunately forever one no one was injured although there was some P.Way & signalling damage along with some minor damage to several of the derailed coaches but what is mildly interesting about this accident is that the Inspecting Officer who produced the accident report managed to produce a 6 page report which included upwards of 10 witness evidence statements including 2 from the signalmen in the box at the time, 2 from drivers, 2 from firemen, 3 from guards and 1 from a station Superintendent even after the signalman who caused the accident freely admitted his mistake from the outset although having said that it wasn't that uncommon for accident reports from that era to go into ever aspect and minor detail of a railway accident.

Mickey

[2392]

I have the complete "Trains in Trouble" series [ran to I think 8 parts] published by Atlantic 1980-1990. It's long out of print to my knowledge though no doubt available via eBay or Amazon. Some of the crashes are terrible, the likes of Harrow & Weldstone or the Lewisham crashed mentioned elsewhere on this forum. To the more "What the F***k! How'd that happen?" Where no major harm was caused other than perhaps bruised prided. In the latter case there's an accident on a Scottish branch,where a bridge had been washed out, but due to it's smallness the telegraph poles weren't carried away, being planted in the ground either side. The first signalman offered the first train of the day to the second, who accepted it. From memory it should have taken about 20 minutes to travel between the two boxes. But 30-40 minutes later no show, at which point the second signalman was about to phone first. When a rather bedraggled figure appeared at the door, it was the fireman of the train. He reported that the bridge had been washed out and the engine was nose down in the burn! Luckily there were no fatalities with the crew or any passengers, just cuts and bruises, maybe a bit of shock.

Having said that the series deals with the subject in a very serious way. There's no tabloid blame, the various authors draw on the Inspectors reports etc.

[1H was 2E]

Mickey, are you aware of the website railwaysarchive? Through this you can access hundreds, possibly thousands, of accident reports to either read or download. What's interesting about them is the style used; the Victorian ones definitely treat railway staff as 'servants' but late ones (1900 to late 1960's) are written in such a way that the give strong suggestions of poor performance without making direct criticism. Some are classics of understatement.
One example was the collision just north of Rugby on the GC in the sixties, where a Palvan in a northbound train derailed and the train ran in this state for several miles with more and more wagons behind becoming derailed. The report expresses mild surprise that the guard did not notice the flying ballast or the series of lurches when the wagons encountered a bridge parapet and stopped dead. Another aspect of this derailment (which is sufficiently recent for me to remember well) was that an up train, hauled by an ex GW Hall, hit the derailed wagons and overturned. The driver lost his life, but the fireman walked 2-3 miles to Rugby Central and (I don't recollect the full details) somehow went passenger to take over the next leg of his diagram with a spare driver. PTSD hadn't been invented then, obviously. I remember it well, but it was a different world...

[Bryan]

Not all accidents are reported even those that involve fatalities.
Annitsford in Northumberland for one.

[1H was 2E]

I can say with certainty that every incident, down to tail lamp out, generated a mishap from that was sent to the divisional accident section in BR days - because I worked in one. They were all investigated by writing to the appropriate manager asking for reports from their staff involved and investigation would result in 'advice' to the staff at fault via the manager. All correspondence was hand-written in those days, and my colleagues dealing with the routine ones probably recited the memo wording in their sleep. There were parameters set out to define mishaps that had to be reported to the Ministry (which certainly including any movement incident that result in passenger injury, but I am not sure of the detail of other requirements after all this time) but they themselves decided whether to take an interest or not. However, any reportable mishap would certainly be investigated by the BR accident section to learn lessons, as they say nowadays. Like non-reportable mishaps, there was generally an openness on the part of staff involved, even though this could result in 'Disciplinary Procedure' -the well known No 1 Form. When I worked there, the ministry generally relied heavily on the BR investigation - which usually involved a "Joint Enquiry" - perhaps indicative of trust in integrity of BR - and the ministry report took the form of what was then called an "A to B" for many of the details.
The BR files were only kept for the time laid down by law and they did take up a lot of space, so they were binned promptly with no thought for future archivists. One would be regarded as a thief if caught taking them home without asking (instant dismissal) and it would be career limiting to ask permission to do so.

[Mickey]

Mickey, are you aware of the website railwaysarchive? Through this you can access hundreds, possibly thousands, of accident reports to either read or download. What's interesting about them is the style used; the Victorian ones definitely treat railway staff as 'servants' but late ones (1900 to late 1960's) are written in such a way that the give strong suggestions of poor performance without making direct criticism. Some are classics of understatement.

Yes I am aware of the Railway Archive website 1H was 2E thanks I quite often go on it and search out an interesting accident that I haven't read about before usually I like reading about accidents that involve something to do with signalling or signalmen usually between the years 1890s-1970s also I have found that a number of the London Underground accident reports during the 1950s-1980s make for interesting reading as well.

By about 1900 the accident reports become a bit easier 'on the eyes' to read and are set out clearer and are quite detailed I like the way they mention at the start of someone's evidence statement the railwayman's length of service and for obvious reasons they usually state on how much rest the individual has had since his previous turn of duty, I also like the British Railways accidents reports as well and usually find them quite easy to read even if they are referring to 'technical information' it's usually wrote in a clear and understandable manner.

Mickey

[Hatfield Shed]

... an up train, hauled by an ex GW Hall, hit the derailed wagons and overturned. The driver lost his life, but the fireman walked 2-3 miles to Rugby Central and (I don't recollect the full details) somehow went passenger to take over the next leg of his diagram with a spare driver. PTSD hadn't been invented then, obviously...

He may well subsequently have had what is now called PTSD, as that behaviour indicates a type of amnesia.

Similar case from another transport accident. In the 1920s, a London - Paris flight crashed not long after take off from Croydon aerodrome. The co-pilot was missing. He was brought to the British Embassy in Paris the following day. He knew he was supposed to be in Paris, but was not sure why.

[Mickey]

One example was the collision just north of Rugby on the GC in the sixties, where a Palvan in a northbound train derailed and the train ran in this state for several miles with more and more wagons behind becoming derailed. The report expresses mild surprise that the guard did not notice the flying ballast or the series of lurches when the wagons encountered a bridge parapet and stopped dead. Another aspect of this derailment (which is sufficiently recent for me to remember well) was that an up train, hauled by an ex GW Hall, hit the derailed wagons and overturned. The driver lost his life, but the fireman walked 2-3 miles to Rugby Central and (I don't recollect the full details) somehow went passenger to take over the next leg of his diagram with a spare driver. PTSD hadn't been invented then, obviously. I remember it well, but it was a different world...

I believe you are referring to the derailment that happened between Rugby (Central) and Lutterworth stations on the London Midland Region of B.R.in February 1961 1H was 2E the official accident report into this accident is included on the Railway Archive website.

Mickey

[Bryan]

I can say with certainty that every incident, down to tail lamp out, generated a mishap from that was sent to the divisional accident section in BR days - because I worked in one. They were all investigated by writing to the appropriate manager asking for reports from their staff involved and investigation would result in 'advice' to the staff at fault via the manager. All correspondence was hand-written in those days, and my colleagues dealing with the routine ones probably recited the memo wording in their sleep. There were parameters set out to define mishaps that had to be reported to the Ministry (which certainly including any movement incident that result in passenger injury, but I am not sure of the detail of other requirements after all this time) but they themselves decided whether to take an interest or not. However, any reportable mishap would certainly be investigated by the BR accident section to learn lessons, as they say nowadays. Like non-reportable mishaps, there was generally an openness on the part of staff involved, even though this could result in 'Disciplinary Procedure' -the well known No 1 Form. When I worked there, the ministry generally relied heavily on the BR investigation - which usually involved a "Joint Enquiry" - perhaps indicative of trust in integrity of BR - and the ministry report took the form of what was then called an "A to B" for many of the details.
The BR files were only kept for the time laid down by law and they did take up a lot of space, so they were binned promptly with no thought for future archivists. One would be regarded as a thief if caught taking them home without asking (instant dismissal) and it would be career limiting to ask permission to do so.

Railways probably existed before you started work.
The incident I refer to took place at Annitsford on Thursday, 15th March 1888
I believe no Board of Trade report exists for this accident.

[52D]

A word of warning, if you are using the RA site check using close by locations or former names as you can easily miss what you are looking for.

[Mickey]

A word of warning, if you are using the RA site check using close by locations or former names as you can easily miss what you are looking for.

Yes your correct 52D I was searching for a accident a few days ago that I had read before years ago that had happened on the south central section of the Southern Railway in October 1947 which I thought was known as the 'Purley accident' but was actually found under 'South Croydon' the same name as the official accident report is titled.

The accident it's self occurred during the morning peak in dense fog and was basically attributed to a inexperienced signalman.

Mickey

[52D]

Mickey was in the NRM Search Engine last week doing some research on the YN&BR looking at Stephensons loco delivery book when after talking to one of the ladies she showed me a set of bound accident reports going right back to the S&D. I dont know how complete it is but i intend to check it out quite soon.

[Mickey]

Sounds interesting 52D.

According to the hard back book of Trains In Trouble the very last accident of the steam age on BR was in August 1968 a day or two before the end of steam on BR with the honours going to a grimy 8F that 'split the points' at a set of hand points with it's front bogies landing in the dirt in Lostock Hall shed (athough it mite have been Rose Grove(?) I haven't seen the book for about 7-8 years?).

Mickey

[kudu]

I may have posted before about this accident.

It was in the 1840s, a dark and foggy night, as they say. A train was seen leaving Tonbridge (SER) in the Ashford direction without its tail light, an all the more dangerous occurrence given the weather conditions. So a light engine was hastily despatched after it, carrying the missing lamp. But unfortunately it was a dark and foggy night and the train in front didn't have a tail light...

I've said enough.

Kudu

[Mickey]

I may have posted before about this accident.

It was in the 1840s, a dark and foggy night, as they say. A train was seen leaving Tonbridge (SER) in the Ashford direction without its tail light, an all the more dangerous occurrence given the weather conditions. So a light engine was hastily despatched after it, carrying the missing lamp. But unfortunately it was a dark and foggy night and the train in front didn't have a tail light...

The 1840s?. Say no more kudu they did some 'nutty things' back in those days BUT everyone was still learning about how railways worked.

I like the quote from either O.S.Nock or L.T.C.Rolt I can't remember which saying something like-

"You never hear of the accidents that never happen??".

Think about it?.

The near misses that nearly resulted in a railway accident but by luck and good fortune didn't, theres been plenty of those down the years.

Mickey