Donate SIGN UP

early rail crashes

Avatar Image
Annie K | 14:31 Sun 25th Feb 2007 | History
5 Answers
can anyone please give me info about early rail crashes - pre 1920 or tell me where I can research them.

Many thanks
  
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 5 of 5rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by Annie K. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Try a book called 'Red For Danger' by L T C Rolt. It was first published in the 1950s but is being reissued in July.
Question Author
Thanks - hopefully this should resolve a difference of opinion. I will look out for it
This is a list of pre 1950 rail crashes, so what your looking for will be on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pre-1950_ rail_accidents
The worst crash in British history was in 1915, at Quintinshill(often referred to in books as Gretna) on the Scots border.

The signalmen were working a "harmless" fiddle. The day man lived in Gretna, and got a lift up on an early train, arriving just after his shift started. To cover this, the night man wrote the log details on paper, and the day man copied them into the log so his handwriting matched.

An extra train was due, a troop train , this caused confusion and hte day man allowed a mineral train to cross the main lines from a siding. The up troop train hit it, with terrible results. Very similar to Souhtall in recent years.

Despite the mineral train guard running back along the line. the Night Mail came up and hit the wreckage which caught fire. Many of those trapped were burned.They were on their way to the Dardenelles, and may already have been doomed.


I have met someone who was a boy in a neighbouring farm, who was led away not to hear the screams.THe driver of the mail survived, but died of shock a year later.
I know because he was my great grandfather by marriage.

His nephew died in another smash trying to avoid a crash,
and another family member died in his cab.

This was a family proud of their skills and traditions, top link drivers all, somethuing sadly lacking in the railway service today. Though all honour to Vergin's driver in the recent crash.

Question Author
Thanks for your help and information, Lonnie and Kelmscott, I have followed up all guidelines I've been given and it is so interesting.

1 to 5 of 5rss feed

Do you know the answer?

early rail crashes

Answer Question >>

Related Questions

Sorry, we can't find any related questions. Try using the search bar at the top of the page to search for some keywords, or choose a topic and submit your own question.