Report on the Collision that occurred on 22nd November 1962 between Victoria and St. James's Park on the District Line London Transport Railways

"The two trains concerned were no. 44 from Ealing Broadway to Mansion House and no. 45 from Wimbledon to Dagenham. About 15 minutes before the accident, a train stop failure occurred at the St. James's Park intermediate home signal and this caused that signal and the two signals on the approach side of it (St. James's Park outer home signal and Victoria advance starting signal no. A803) to be held at Danger. Signal no. A803 is an automatic and the other signals were working automatically, and in such circumstances motormen are required to pass them at Danger in accordance with the "Stop and Proceed" Rules. Train no. 44 left Victoria at 10.58 a.m. and the motorman stopped it at signal no. A803; he was about to restart the train and pass the signal in accordance with the Rules when train no. 45 ran into its rear end. Train no. 45 left Victoria at 11.2 am. and the motorman stopped it at the starting signal no. A801; that signal is also an automatic and it was held at Danger by the presence of train no. 44 ahead. The motorman "tripped" past the signal (see note below) in accordance with the Rules, but he failed to proceed cautiously prepared to stop short of any obstruction as required by the Rules, and he collided at a speed of 8-10 m.p.h. with the train ahead at a point 433 feet beyond Victoria station platform. The brakes of that train had been released in readiness for it to proceed past signal no. A803. The force of the impact pushed the train past the signal for a distance of about I5 feet and in passing it, the brakes became fully applied.

The damage was mainly confined to the rear car of train no. 44 and the leading two cars of train no. 45. Four passengers were slightly injured and five others complained of shock: these nine passengers were removed to hospital and they were discharged the same day. Thirteen other passengers complained of shock and were given first-aid treatment at Victoria station. Ambulances and the Fire Brigade were called at 11.23 am. and 11.26 am. respectively and they both arrived on the scene within a few minutes. No call was made for doctors."

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