early rail crashes

[Annie K]

can anyone please give me info about early rail crashes - pre 1920 or tell me where I can research them.

Many thanks

[Hammond Egg]

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.

[Annie K]

Thanks - hopefully this should resolve a difference of opinion. I will look out for it

[Lonnie]

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

[Kelmscott]

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.

[Annie K]

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