Goswick rail crash
Encyclopedia
The Goswick rail crash occurred on 26 October 1947 near the village of Goswick
, Northumberland
, England
. The Flying Scotsman
express from Edinburgh Waverley
to London Kings Cross failed to slow down for a diversion and derailed
. 28 people were killed. It was the last major accident to occur on British railways before their nationalisation on 1 January 1948.
, Northumberland
, between Berwick-upon-Tweed
and Morpeth
, because of engineering work on the fast line. However, the driver failed to respond to the signals in advance of the diversion and took the 15 mph restricted turnout at approximately 60 mph. The engine, A3 Class
No. 66 "Merry Hampton", and most of the train derailed and overturned.
The driver, fireman and guard had all, for various reasons, failed to read the notice of the diversion posted at Haymarket depot
. The driver
, who was held principally at fault, had also taken an unauthorised passenger on to the footplate who may have distracted his attention. He claimed to have missed the distant signal
due to smoke from the engine obscuring his view. The home signal was at clear to allow the train to draw up slowly to the points; the signalman
could not judge the speed of the train until it was too late, and was exonerated of any blame.
A similar accident occurred two years earlier at Bourne End
, Hertfordshire
.
- overspeed through turnout Jokela rail crash
- Finland Milton rail crash
- England
Goswick
Goswick is a hamlet in Northumberland, England, situated approximately south-east of Berwick-upon-Tweed, England, between the A1 and the North Sea coast.-Goswick station:...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Flying Scotsman
Flying Scotsman (train)
The Flying Scotsman is an express passenger train service that has been running between London and Edinburgh—the capitals of England and Scotland respectively—since 1862...
express from Edinburgh Waverley
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
to London Kings Cross failed to slow down for a diversion and derailed
Derailment
A derailment is an accident on a railway or tramway in which a rail vehicle, or part or all of a train, leaves the tracks on which it is travelling, with consequent damage and in many cases injury and/or death....
. 28 people were killed. It was the last major accident to occur on British railways before their nationalisation on 1 January 1948.
Overview
The train was scheduled to divert from the main fast line to a goods loop at GoswickGoswick
Goswick is a hamlet in Northumberland, England, situated approximately south-east of Berwick-upon-Tweed, England, between the A1 and the North Sea coast.-Goswick station:...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, between Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
and Morpeth
Morpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
, because of engineering work on the fast line. However, the driver failed to respond to the signals in advance of the diversion and took the 15 mph restricted turnout at approximately 60 mph. The engine, A3 Class
LNER Class A1/A3
The London and North Eastern Railway LNER Gresley Classes A1 and A3 locomotives represented two distinct stages in the history of the British 4-6-2 "Pacific" steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley...
No. 66 "Merry Hampton", and most of the train derailed and overturned.
The driver, fireman and guard had all, for various reasons, failed to read the notice of the diversion posted at Haymarket depot
Haymarket TMD
Haymarket TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated inside Edinburgh, Scotland, next to Haymarket Station and Murrayfield Stadium. The depot is operated by First ScotRail. The depot code is HA.-External links:A of the depot.-References:...
. The driver
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
, who was held principally at fault, had also taken an unauthorised passenger on to the footplate who may have distracted his attention. He claimed to have missed the distant signal
Railway signal
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
due to smoke from the engine obscuring his view. The home signal was at clear to allow the train to draw up slowly to the points; the signalman
Signalman (rail)
A signalman or signaller is an employee of a railway transport network who operates the points and signals from a signal box in order to control the movement of trains.- History :...
could not judge the speed of the train until it was too late, and was exonerated of any blame.
A similar accident occurred two years earlier at Bourne End
Bourne End rail crash
The Bourne End rail crash occurred on 30 September 1945 when an overnight sleeping-car express train from Scotland to London Euston derailed due to a driver's error...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
Similar accidents
Bourne End rail crashBourne End rail crash
The Bourne End rail crash occurred on 30 September 1945 when an overnight sleeping-car express train from Scotland to London Euston derailed due to a driver's error...
- overspeed through turnout Jokela rail crash
Jokela rail crash
The Jokela rail accident occurred on April 21, 1996 at 07:08 local time in Tuusula, Finland, approximately north of Helsinki. Four people were killed and 75 injured when express train P82 from Oulu, bound for Helsinki, derailed in heavy fog. The overnight sleeper train was carrying 139 passengers...
- Finland Milton rail crash
Milton rail crash
In the Milton rail crash a passenger train took a crossover too fast and derailed. 11 were killed, and 157 were injured.- Overview :The crash occurred at about 13:15 on Sunday 20 November 1955, at Milton, between and on the line from on the Western Region of British Railways...
- England
See also
- Lists of rail accidents
- List of British rail accidents
- Books on British railway accidentsBooks on British railway accidentsThere are a number of books on British railway accidents which provide aid in the systematic study of the causes and effects of accidents, and their prevention. There are common themes in many accidents . Key books are listed here to avoid repeating them for each individual accident.The doyen is...