Report on the Derailment and subsequent Collision that occurred on 31st December 1969 near Roade Junction in the London Midland Region British Railways

"The first sign of the derailment on the Down Slow line was at 57 miles 1186 yards where there was a clear flange mark along the top of the left-hand rail. From this point there was intermittent damage to the rail fastenings apparently caused by a single pair of derailed wheels running close to the rail fastenings over a distance of just under 2 miles, as far as the trading crossover between the Up and Down Slow lines at Roade Junction, where the lead curve had deflected the offside leading wheel of the derailed wagon, running in the four foot, towards the left hand rail causing the wagon, an empty 16-ton mineral wagon marshalled 18th in the train, to roll over on to its right side in the direction of running. Comparatively little damage was done to the point and crossing work through the Junction but to the north of the Junction there was increasing damage to the track and sleepers apparently caused by the axleboxes of the wagon travelling on its side dragging in the four foot. There were also flange marks indicating that another vehicle had been running with a pair of wheels derailed towards the Up Northampton line.

At a point just to the north of Overbridge No. 209 it appeared that the leading end of the overturned wagon had dug Itself into the track and the trailing end had been forced out foul of the adjacent Up Northampton line, together with the leading end of the following wagon. These two wagons were almost immediately hit by the leading vehicle of the passenger train which, as a result, became derailed towards the cess, travelling about 100 yards and demolishing the stanchion of an overhead electric structure before coming to rest on its left hand side. The bogies had been completely removed from this vehicle by the force of the collision and the second vehicle rode up over the displaced bogies, coming to rest with the leading end up in the air but still coupled to the leading vehicle and leaning towards the cutting side. The rear two vehicles of the passenger train were also completely derailed but came to a stand in an upright position. The damage to the leading end of the passenger train indicated that the contact with the derailed mineral wagons had been in the nature of a glancing blow rather than a full collision and that the major damage to the upper front portion of the cab had occurred as a result of contact with the overhead line structure."

• Documents
• Accidents
• Browse
• Getting Started

Have Your Say

Mailing List

Donate