Report on the Derailment that occurred on 27th December 1970 at Hare Park Junction near Wakefield in the Eastern Region British Railways

"The train was the 1M9, the 00.30 from Carlisle to Leicester, composed of 3 bogie vehicles and hauled by a Class 45 diesel-electric locomotive. It approached Hare Park Junction on the Up Main line at about 45 mph and became derailed at the facing blades of the switch diamond crossing formed by the Down Crofton Branch tine crossing the Up Main line. The blades were lying in a mid-position with neither blade against its stock rail, having previously been run through in the trailing direction and forced open when set for the Up Main line by a train travelling from the Down Main to Down Branch line.

All 3 vehicles, the last of which was a passenger coach, followed the locomotive into total derailment. The driver immediately made an emergency application of the brakes and the train came to a stand with the locomotive some 195 yards beyond the point of initial derailment; the locomotive and all 3 vehicles remained upright and coupled together.

I am glad to report that neither the sole passenger in the train, who was travelling in the rearmost vehicle, nor the 3 members of the train crew, suffered any injury and that the fire and ambulance services, although promptly alerted, were not required."

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