The Big Four Rail Accidents
Date |
Killed |
Injured |
Details |
|---|---|---|---|
06 November 1947 |
4 |
12 |
Motspur Park, 6 November 1947; 4 killed, 12 injured |
27 October 1947 |
27 |
Goswick rail crash, 27 October 1947; 27 killed: excess speed on diversion turnout because driver had not read a warning notice | |
24 October 1947 |
32 |
183 |
South Croydon rail crash, 24 October 1947; 32 killed, 183 injured: fog caused signalman's error caused rear-end collision. |
18 May 1947 |
0 |
37 |
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. |
10 February 1946 |
2 |
17 |
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. |
01 January 1946 |
20 |
21 |
Lichfield rail crash, 1 January 1946; 20 killed, 21 injured |
30 September 1945 |
43 |
64 |
Bourne End, 30 September 1945; 43 killed, 64 injured: excess speed on turnout |
04 February 1945 |
2 |
26 |
King's Cross railway accident, 4 February 1945; 2 killed, 26 injured: loco slipped to stand in tunnel, train rolled back into station |
02 June 1944 |
2 |
29 |
Soham rail disaster, 2 June 1944; 2 killed, 29 injured: explosion of wagon containing ammunition |
13 March 1944 |
1 |
7 |
Henstridge accident, 13 March 1944; unconfirmed 1 killed, 7 injured: US road transport vehicle crashed through bridge wall onto passing train. |
16 January 1944 |
9 |
Ilford rail crash (1944), 16 January 1944; nine people killed including the politician Frank Heilgers; signal passed at danger in fog. | |
02 February 1942 |
13 |
63 |
Cowlairs East Junction collision, 2 February 1942, 13 killed, 63 injured |
30 December 1941 |
23 |
Eccles rail crash (1941), 30 December 1941; 23 killed: train passed red signal in fog and wartime blackout, collision on crossing | |
02 July 1941 |
5 |
6 |
Dolphin Junction, 2 July 1941; 5 killed, 6 injured: signalman failed to notice train. |
04 November 1940 |
27 |
Norton Fitzwarren rail crash (1940), 4 November 1940; 27 killed: driver read wrong signal, drove off end of track. | |
01 February 1940 |
1 |
Watford, February 1940; 1 killed: landslide, embankment slid onto track. | |
10 December 1937 |
35 |
179 |
Castlecary rail crash, 10 December 1937; 35 killed, 179 injured: whiteout in snowy night and snow blocked points, rear-end collision. |
02 April 1937 |
10 |
17 |
Battersea Park rail crash (1937), 2 April 1937; 10 killed, 17 injured. Signalling error. |
15 January 1936 |
2 |
10 |
Shrivenham, 15 January 1936; 2 killed, 10 injured: train collided with breakaway wagons. |
15 June 1935 |
13 |
85 |
Welwyn Garden City rail crash, 15 June 1935; 13 killed, 85 injured: rear-end collision caused by signalman's error |
28 September 1934 |
12 |
Winwick rail crash, 28 September 1934; 12 killed: collision at junction: overloaded signalman, mistake by his assistant lad | |
06 September 1934 |
9 |
11 |
Port Eglinton Junction, Glasgow, 6 September 1934; head on collision, 9 killed, 11 seriously injured |
25 May 1933 |
5 |
Raynes Park, 25 May 1933; 5 killed: train derailed due to uncompleted track maintenance. | |
22 March 1931 |
6 |
Leighton Buzzard, 22 March 1931; 6 killed: train derailed due to driver exceeding speed limit on slow lines. | |
09 January 1930 |
1 |
Lawrence Hill, 9 January 1930; 1 killed: rear collision – signalman incorrectly accepted next train. | |
20 November 1929 |
3 |
Combe Down Tunnel accident, 20 November 1929; 3 killed: train crew overcome by smoke in a tunnel, the runaway train crashed into a goods yard. | |
01 January 1929 |
4 |
Ashchurch January 1929; 4 killed: signal overrun. | |
13 October 1928 |
15 |
Charfield railway disaster, Gloucestershire, 13 October 1928; 15 killed {estimate: 11 known dead}: night mail train hit shunting freight train. | |
09 October 1928 |
1 |
14 |
New Tredegar, 9 October 1928; 1 killed, 14 injured: during temporary single-line working, signalman allowed train up to signal which it failed to stop at, colliding with train running the other way (first passenger fatality on GWR since 1916). |
09 July 1928 |
2 |
London Bridge, 9 July 1928; 2 killed: driver of light engine misread signals. | |
27 June 1928 |
25 |
Darlington rail crash, 27 June 1928; 25 killed: head-on collision caused by inexperienced driver's error | |
24 August 1927 |
13 |
Sevenoaks railway accident, 24 August 1927; 13 killed, derailment. | |
27 February 1927 |
Penistone, 27 February 1927: engine being run round train obeyed green signal meant for express coming through: collision | ||
14 February 1927 |
12 |
24 |
Hull Paragon rail accident, 14 February 1927; 12 killed, 24 seriously injured: Head on collision caused by signalling error. |
19 November 1926 |
9 |
Parkgate and Rawmarsh railway station 19 November 1926; 9 killed in derailment and collision | |
30 August 1926 |
9 |
Naworth Crossing, 30 August 1926; collision with charabanc on crossing; 9 killed | |
03 November 1924 |
14 |
Lytham rail crash, 3 November 1924; locomotive tyre fracture; 14 killed |