LIST OF RAIL ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

This list is of railway accidents in Britain sorted chronologically. For a list sorted by death toll see List of British rail accidents by death toll. It does not include incidents that did not involve rolling stock, such as the King's Cross fire of 1987.

Contents

2000 and after

1990–1999

1980–1989

1970–1979

1946–1969

1920–1945

1900–1919

1880–1899

1850–1879

Before 1850

References

See also

Further reading

2000 and after

★ Swainsthorpe, 1 March, 2007; 1 killed in car on level crossing, none injured.

★ Grayrigg, 23 February, 2007; 1 killed, 22 injured: points fault

★ Copmanthorpe, 25 September, 2006; 1 killed in car which crashed through fence onto track, train hit it

★ Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, 10 July 2005; 1 killed: train hit car at level crossing

★ Ufton Nervet, 6 November 2004; 7 killed, 150 injured: train hit car at level crossing

★ Tebay, 15 February 2004; 4 track workers killed; 3 injured: runaway work trolley hit railway workmen

★ Norton Bridge, 16 October 2003; 1 injured: train passed signal at red: rear-end collision

★ Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, 3 August 2003; 1 killed: train hit car at level crossing

★ Pershore, Worcestershire, 7 July 2003; 3 killed

★ Southall East, 24 November, 2002; 31 injured: broken fishplate caused HST coach to derail throwing ballast through windows.

★ Potters Bar, 10 May 2002; 7 killed, 70 injured: faulty points failed under train, derailed carriage which flew onto platforms

★ Nocton, Lincolnshire, 28 February 2002; 1 killed in van, 14 injured on train, after van was driven through wall and fell onto track

★ Hither Green, 12 March 2001; train from Sevenoaks passed red signal and hit train from Crayford. (Distinguish from 1967 crash.)

★ Selby (Great Heck), 28 February 2001; 10 killed, 80+ injured: Land Rover ran down embankment onto track, train hit it

★ Welwyn Garden City, 28 November 2000; 1 injured as an empty Class 313 EMU derails and falls 90 degrees narrowly missing the 24ft drop into the bus station - injuring driver.

★ Hatfield, 17 October 2000; 4 killed, 35 injured: broken rail caused derailment, restaurant coach hit overhead catenary stanchion

1990–1999

★ Ladbroke Grove, 5 October 1999; 31 killed, 400 injured: novice driver passed red signal into path of another train resulting in near head-on collision, big diesel fuel fire; alleged that signals hard to see

★ Winsford, 23 June 1999; 31 injured: train passed red signal, rear-end collision

★ Spa Road Junction rail crash, 8 January 1999; 0 killed, 4 injured: train passed red signal, collision where tracks converge: driver error due to poor staff training

★ Southall, 19 September 1997; 6 killed, 150 injured: train passed red signal, collided with side of freight train crossing path; driver inattention and faulty AWS equipment

★ Bexley derailment, 4 February 1997; 0 killed, 4 injured: overloaded train derailed on rotting wooden bridge

★ Watford South, 8 August 1996; 1 killed, 69 injured: driver passed red signal, rear-end collision

★ Stafford, 8 March 1996; 1 killed, 22 injured: tanker truck axlebox failed, wagons derailed onto other track, mail train hit them

★ Royal Oak, 10 November 1995; 0 killed, 1 injured

★ Largs, 11 July 1995; 0 killed, ?? injured, Train hit temporary buffers during station rebuild and travelled through fencing onto Largs High Street.

★ Ais Gill, 31 January 1995; 1 killed, 30 injured: train hit landslide; train the other way hit wreckage

★ Cowden, October 1994; 5 killed, 12 injured: train passed dirty faint red signal, head-on collision

★ Morpeth, 27 June 1994; 1 injured: speed on curve

★ Greenock, 25 June 1994; 2 killed: train derailed on concrete blocks put on track by vandals

★ Morpeth, 13 November 1992; 1 killed: light engine hit train in rear: light engine's driver misunderstood a signalman

★ Appleford level crossing, 3 December 1991; 1 injured

★ Severn Tunnel, December 1991; 100 injured: rear-end collision, cause uncertain

★ Newton July 1991; 4 killed, 22 injured: head-on collision at junction

★ Cannon Street Station, 8 January 1991; 2 killed, 240 injured: train hit buffer stop: driver may have taken cannabis

★ Stafford, August 1990; 1 killed, 35 injured: train passed red signal, rear-end collision: driver tired and drunk

★ Carr Lane, Doncaster, 19 June 1990: 1 adult and 2 children killed when struck by HST on pedestrian crossing.

1980–1989

★ Newcastle Central Station, 30 November 1989; 15 injured

★ Bellgrove (Glasgow), March 1989; 2 killed: "ding-ding, and away" caused crash where two lines converged

★ Purley Station, 4 March 1989; 5 killed, 90 injured: driver missed distant signal, not time to stop when he saw red signal, rear-end collision

★ Clapham Junction, 12 December 1988; 35 killed, 100+ injured: rear-end collision, then train the other way ran into wreckage: from signal electric fault from sloppy work

★ St. Helens, November 1988; 1 killed, 18 injured

★ Docklands Light Railway March 1987, a train under test crashed through buffers at Island Gardens station.

★ Forest Gate, October 1987; 14 injured: 2 trains collided

★ River Towy, October 1987; 4 killed: river flood washed bridge away, so train fell in river

★ North Berwick, 1986; 4 injured

★ Colwich, September 1986; 1 killed 60 injured: collision at crossing: driver confused by recent change in meaning of some signals

★ Lockington, 26 July 1986; 9 killed, 11 injured; train hit road van on level crossing

★ Summit Tunnel fire, 20 December 1984; 0 injured: petrol tanker train in tunnel: faulty axle box started derailment, big fire

★ Eccles, 4 December 1984; 3 killed, 68 injured: train ignored signal, rear-end collision

★ Wembley 11 October 1984 3 killed, 18 injured: collision: driver ignored signal because of a medical condition

★ Polmont, July 1984; 13 killed, 44 injured: train hit strayed cow

★ Morpeth, June 1984; 35 injured: speed on curve: sleeping car train derailed: its driver was drunk

★ Seer Green, 11 December 1981; 4 killed, 5 injured: snow, train stopped at fallen tree branch on track, then rear-end collision because novice signalman misread equipment

★ Holborn rail crash, July 1980; 1 injured: passed red signal, rear-end collision

★ Dunmurry train explosion, January 1980; 3 killed, 5 injured: Premature detonation of IRA bomb, one bomber among the dead.

1970–1979

★ Invergowrie, 22 October 1979; 5 killed, 52 injured: train stopped because brake fault caused fire; next train ran into it because of mishandled signals

★ Paisley Gilmour Street, 16 April 1979; 7 killed, 67 injured: ding-ding, and away caused head-on collision

★ Taunton sleeping car fire, 6 July 1978; 12 killed, 19 injured: dirty linen stacked against electric heater, caused fire which made carbon monoxide

★ Nuneaton, 6 June 1975; 6 killed 67 injured: derailed from speed: equipment should have warned of temporary speed limit but was faulty

★ Moorgate Underground, 28 February 1975; 43 killed, 74 injured: driver ran into blind end of tunnel at speed: not known why

★ Watford Junction, 23 January 1975; 1 killed, 11 injured: express derailed by a steel stillage that had fallen from a previous freight train; then hit by another express

★ Ealing, 19 December 1973; 10 killed, 94 injured: battery box door fell open, hit lineside equipment which operated points under train

★ Eltham Well Hall, 11 June 1972; 6 killed, 126 injured: speed on curve: driver was drunk

★ Chester station, 8 May 1972; 2 injured: freight train (partly fuel oils) brake failure, hit empty passenger train, damaged station, big fire

★ Tattenhall Junction, 2 July 1971; 2 killed, 26 injured; school excursion train derailed by buckled track in hot weather

★ Audenshaw Junction, 20 May 1970; 2 killed, 13 injured: points changed under train because signalman misbehaved

1946–1969

★ Morpeth, May 1969; 6 killed, 121 injured: speed on curve: northbound sleeping car express

★ Hixon, 6 January 1968; 11 killed, 27 injured: on level crossing express hit transformer transporter, whose driver trusted police escort, who did not know area

★ Hither Green, 5 November 1967; 49 killed, 78 injured: broken rail: express derailed at 70 mph

★ Thirsk, 31 July 1967; 7 killed, 45 injured: express hit cement wagon which had derailed on adjacent line

★ Connington South, 5 March 1967; 5 killed, 18 injured: express derailed at points changed while passing over them

★ Stechford, 28 February 1967; 9 killed, 16 injured: misunderstood hand signal: express hit light engine which came out onto its track

★ Cheadle Hulme, 28 May 1964; 3 killed, ?? injured: speed on curve

★ Coppenhall Junction, 26 December 1962; 18 killed, 34 injured: express hit express in rear: lineside gear frozen or snow-blocked, driver should have phoned but phone was out of order

★ Lincoln, 3 June 1962; 3 killed, 50 injured: speed on curve: driver unaccustomed to diesel engine & did not know route

★ Singleton Bank, 16 July 1961; 7 killed, 116 injured: signalman let train enter section of line under engineer's possession; hit ballast train

★ Settle, 21 January 1960; 5 killed: slide-bar of locomotive fell off due to missing bolts; connecting rod became detached, destroying adjacent track; oncoming goods train deflected into side of passenger train

★ Dagenham East, 30 January 1958; 10 killed: passed red signal in fog, rear-end collision

★ Lewisham, 4 December 1957; 90 killed, 173 injured: driver missed signals in fog, rear-end collision, then overbridge fell on wreckage

★ Luton, 22 December 1955; 1 killed, 50 injured

★ Barnes, 2 December 1955; 13 killed, 35 injured: rear-end collision because signalman mishandled block apparatus

★ Milton, 20 November 1955; 11 killed, 157 injured

★ Sutton Coldfield, 23 January 1955; 17 killed, 43 injured: speed on curve, train strewn over platforms

★ Irk Valley Junction near Manchester, 15 August 1953; 10 killed, 60 injured

★ Stratford (Underground), London, 8 April 1953; 12 killed: rear-end collision: trains being worked without signals because of damaged signals

★ Harrow and Wealdstone station, 8 October 1952; 112 killed, 340 injured: train ignored signals, rear-end collision, then train the other way ran into wreckage

★ Doncaster, 16 March 1951: 14 killed, 12 seriously injured and 17 minor injuries. Southbound express to London derailed shortly after leaving Doncaster and struck a bridge.

★ Penmaenmawr, August 1950: 6 killed on Irish Mail sleeper service

★ Motspur Park, 6 November 1947; 4 killed, 12 injured

★ Goswick, 27 October 1947; 27 killed: excess speed on diversion turnout because driver had not read a warning notice

★ South Croydon, 24 October 1947; 32 killed, 183 injured: fog caused signalman's error caused rear-end collision

★ Lambrigg Crossing signal box between Grayrigg and Oxenholme, 18 May 1947: express driver missed a signal while looking in his food box, hit light engine: 4 in hospital, 34 minor injuries.[1] [2]

★ Potters Bar, 10 February 1946. Driver error, compounded by signaller's error. A passenger train hit the buffers at Potters Bar station, and the derailed carriages fouled the main line. Two express trains then hit the wreckage. 2 fatalities, 17 injured.[3]

★ Lichfield, 1 January, 1946; 20 killed, 21 injured

1920–1945

★ Bourne End, 30 September 1945; 43 killed, 64 injured: excess speed on turnout

★ Eccles, 30 December, 1941; 23 killed: train passed red signal in fog & wartime blackout, collision on crossing

★ Norton Fitzwarren, 4 November 1940; 27 killed: driver misunderstood signal layout, drove off track

★ Castlecary rail crash, 10 December 1937; 35 killed, 179 injured: whiteout in snowy night & snow blocked points, rear-end collision

★ Welwyn Garden City, 15 June 1935; 13 killed, 85 injured: rear-end collision caused by signalman's error

★ Winwick Junction, 28 September 1934; 12 killed: collision at junction: overloaded signalman, mistake by his assistant lad

★ Charfield, Gloucestershire, 13 October 1928; 15 killed: night mail train hit shunting freight train {10 known dead}

★ Darlington, 27 June 1928; 25 killed: head-on collision caused by inexperienced driver's error

★ Penistone, 27 February 1927: engine being run round train obeyed green signal meant for express coming through: collision

1900–1919

★ Bere Ferrers, Devon, 24 September 1917; 10 killed: foreign troops alighted via wrong side and onto track, were hit by another train

★ Penistone, 2 February 1916: Penistone end of the viaduct north of station: embankment & end arch fell, and an engine with it

★ St Bedes Junction, 17 December 1915; 19 killed; double collision sent trains down embankment and fire consumed some of the wreckage; procedural failures by driver and signalman [4];

★ Quintinshill, 22 May 1915; 227 killed, 246 injured: troop train hit local standing train & 2 coal trains; another train hit wreckage: mistake by signalman

★ Ais Gill, 1 September 1913; 14 killed, 38 injured: train passed red signal, rear-end collision; underpowered engines & bad coal

★ Pontypridd, 23 January1911; 11 killed (rear collision)

★ Hawes Junction, 24 December 1910; 12 killed: train hit 2 light engines; too much traffic overloaded signalman

★ Coulsdon North (then called ''Stoats Nest''), 29 January 1910; 7 killed

★ Cardiff, Wales, 21 April, 1909; 3 killed - (Boiler explosion)

★ Shrewsbury, 15 October1907; 18 killed: derailment, speed on curve

★ Dore railway station, 9 October 1907; 2 injured; train fouled on points

★ Elliot Junction 28 December, 1906; 22 killed: collision in blizzard

★ Grantham, 19 September, 1906; 13 killed, 17 injured (derailment)

★ Salisbury, 30 June 1906; 28 killed (24 passengers, 4 crew): express derailed due to speed on curve, hit milk train

★ Charing Cross roof collapse, London, 5th December 1905; 6 killed

★ Witham, Essex, 1 September, 1905; 11 killed (derailment)

★ Hall Road rail accident, 10 July 1905; 20 killed: electric trains collided

★ Aylesbury station, 23 December 1904; 4 killed (driver, secondman, 2 Post Office men): mail train in fog and dark before dawn; unfamiliar driver went too fast on sharp curve entering station; train ended strewn over up platform: thankfully no passengers there. [5]. (The track was relaid afterwards to ease the curve.)

★ Glasgow St Enoch, 27 July 1903; 16 killed 27 injured: train ran into buffer stops

★ Cudworth, South Yorkshire 19 January 1905 Collision of two Midland Railway trains with a third, in fog. Seven killed.

1880–1899

★ Penistone station, 10 October 1897: 1 dead, 2 injured: light locomotive collided with a carriage

★ Welshampton, 11 June 1897; 11 killed (derailment)

★ Menheniot, 15 November; reconstruction of Trevido Viaduct: accident raising a heavy timber: 2 killed

★ Menheniot, 9 February 1897; reconstruction of Coldrennick Viaduct: workman's platform fell: 12 killed

★ Snowdon Mountain Railway, 6 April 1896; 1 killed: derailment from runaway on hill

★ Chelford, 22 December 1894; 14 killed: wind blew a truck into path of express

★ Llantrisant 12 August 1893; 13 killed (train down an embankment)

★ Thirsk 2 November 1892; 10 killed: rear-end collision: mistake by signalman who was very sleepy because of acute family crisis

★ Esholt Junction 9 June 1892; 5 killed; two trains collide at the junction, caused by unsafe procedures and a signal obscured by vegetation.

★ Norwood Junction, 1 May 1891; one broken ankle: cast-iron under-bridge broke under an express train

★ Norton Fitzwarren 10 November 1890; ten killed

★ Armagh, 12 June 1889; 80 killed: runaway carriages collide with following train

★ Penistone {Huddersfield Junction): 30 March 1889; 1 killed, many injured: passenger train engine broke axle & derailed on points. Then a mail train collided slightly with fallen engine.

★ Hexthorpe, 16 September 1887; 25 killed, 66 injured: express ran into stationary race train

★ Penistone, September 1887: engine hit train too hand when backing onto it to couple up

★ Penistone, 1 September 1886: 20 passengers slightly injured: engine hit train too hard when backing onto it to couple up

★ Penistone (Barnsley Junction): 1 January 1885 4 killed: excursion train passing empty coal train; a coal truck broke axle, derailed, fouled the excursion

★ Penistone (Bullhouse Bridge): 16 July 1884: 24 killed: engine broke axle, derailed, train fell off embankment

★ Penistone station, 8 December 1882: 2 injured: accident during shunting

★ Inverythan crash, 27 November, 1882; 5 killed: bridge fell under train

1850–1879

★ Tay Bridge disaster, 28 December, 1879; 75 killed: bridge fell in gale under train

★ Pontypridd, 19 October 1878; 13 killed after a collision

★ Radstock, 7 August 1876; 15 killed: head-on collision on single track: superintendent overloaded by holiday traffic [6]

★ Abbots Ripton crash, 21 January, 1876 ; 14 killed: rear-end collision: snow stuck slotted signals in clear position.

★ Shipton-on-Cherwell, 25 December 1874; 34 killed, 69 injured: carriage tyre broke, derailed train on bridge over canal

★ Thorpe, 10 September 1874; 25 killed, 100+ injured: head-on collision on single-track line

★ Manuel Junction, 27 January 1874 16 killed (express and mineral trains collide)

★ Menheniot, 2 December 1873 - head on collision on single line; no casualties: misunderstood signalman's verbal order

★ Wigan, 1 August 1873; 10 killed

★ Kirtlebridge, 2 October 1872; 12 killed

★ Stairfoot, 12 December 1870; 14 killed (train divided)

★ Newark, 20 June 1870; 18 killed (excursion train and freight train collided)

★ Dalton Junction rail crash; axle break derails Night Mail, 4 injured slightly

★ Abergele, 20 August 1868; 33 killed

★ Staplehurst, 9 June 1865; 10 killed, 49 injured: train ran over bridge where rails removed for work; bridge broke. Charles Dickens was a passenger.

★ Winchburg, 13 October1862; 15 killed (collision in deep cutting)

★ Portswood, 6 December 1861; 1 killed

★ Kentish Town, 2 September 1861; 16 killed (passenger and freight trains collide); image

★ Clayton Tunnel, 25 August 1861; 23 killed, 176 injured: train hit stationary train in tunnel: needed nonexistent signal "Is second train out of tunnel?"

★ Wooton Bridge Collapse, 11 June 1860; cast iron girders broke, 2 killed on freight train

★ Atherstone, 16 November 1860; ten killed

★ Helmshore, 4 September 1860; 11 people killed (collision)

★ Gloucester, 17 February 1860: PC William Goatman of the Midland Railway Police dies: hit by goods train while crossing railway lines

★ Round Oak 23 August 1858; 14 killed (divided train)

★ Lewisham in South London, 28 June1 1857: 11 people are killed when two trains collide

★ Straffan 5 October 1853; 16 killed (collision)

★ Bishopstoke 13 March, 1852; driver killed

Before 1850

★ Dee bridge disaster, 24 May 1847; 5 killed: bridge fell

★ Penistone, 6 October 1845: main line train hit a cow, derailed

★ Beeston, Nottinghamshire, November 1844, 15-20 injured

★ Anerley, Croydon, 4 October 1844; 15 injured

★ Cudworth, near Barnsley, North Midland Railway, 12 January 1843; 1 killed

★ Sonning Cutting, 24 December 1841; 9 killed, 17 injured: train ran into landslide

★ Hartford, Northwich, 29 October 1841; 1 killed

★ Howden rail crash, Yorkshire, 7 August 1840; 4 killed: big casting fell from wagon & derailed carriages

★ Whiston, 12 July 1839; 2 killed

★ Harrow on the Hill, 7 August 1838; death of Thomas Port, run over by train, from grave stone inscription in Harrow on the Hill churchyard

★ Wetheral, 3 December 1836; 3 killed

★ Newton Junction, April 1831: PC Bates of the Liverpool and Manchester railway police force caused an accident when he failed to change a set of points when asleep at his post; he was fined £3 by magistrates for this.

★ Edge Hill, 15 September 1830; William Huskisson was first death on public railway at opening of Liverpool and Manchester Railway

★ Philadelphia, Co Durham, 1815; boiler explosion of "Brunton's Mechanical Traveller" on a plateway; 16 killed, mainly sightseers.

References

★ BBC News — Chronology of British Rail Crashes

★ Clayton Tunnel

★ Railways Archive

See also

★ List of British rail accidents by death toll

★ List of rail accidents (Worldwide)

Further reading

★ Health & Safety Executive — Railway Incident Reports

★ Guardian unlimited — Rail Accidents Chronology

★ The Railways Archive

★ A Time Line for Policing the Railways