Report on the Collision that occurred on 23rd February 1979 at Hampton Court Junction in the Southern Region British Railways

"The 13.13 Hampton Court to Waterloo eight-car electric multiple-unit passenger train, after making its scheduled stop at Thames Ditton, was driven past the branch exit signal at Danger onto the Up Slow line on which the 12.20 from Alton coupled with the 12.28 from Basingstoke to Waterloo eight-car electric multiple unit passenger train was passing at speed. The Hampton Court train struck the rear three cars of the Alton train and the leading car of the Hampton Court train was diverted down a steep embankment with its trailing end, to which the second car remained attached, some twelve feet above the ground. The rear six cars of the train remained on the Branch line.

The Alton train came to a stand with the seventh car derailed and the trailing bogie of the rear car detached. The rear two cars struck and demolished the brick parapet of Angel Road underbridge which crashed onto the road below. Luckily nobody was passing at the time, but the roofs of several houses adjacent to the line were damaged by flying debris.

The emergency services were quickly called by a householder beside the line and thirty ambulances were soon on the scene, but only one passenger and the crew of the Hampton Court train and four passengers of the Alton train were taken to hospital suffering minor injuries. All were discharged after treatment. The guard of the Alton train was also slightly injured. A fifth person travelling on the Alton train suffered injuries which he did not report until the next day. All the Main lines, as well as the Hampton Court and Cobham lines, were blocked following the collision but normal services were resumed at 12.20 on 24th February and the Hampton Court line was restored by 04.00 on 26th February."

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