Dibbles Bridge Coach Crash
Encyclopedia
The Dibbles Bridge Coach Crash was a fatal traffic collision that occurred on 27 May 1975 on the B6265 road, Dibble's Bridge
, below the Grimwith Reservoir
1.6 miles (2.6 km) east of Hebden, in the civil parish
of Appletreewick
in Craven
, North Yorkshire
, England. Thirty-one elderly passengers and the driver were killed, and thirteen others injured. It is the worst-ever road accident in the United Kingdom, by number of people killed.
was heading for tea in Grassington
. Whilst travelling between Greenhow
and Hebden stand-in coach driver Roger Marriott, a British Steel
security officer, missed a gear on the moorland road. The brakes then failed as it travelled down a 6:1 gradient from Fancarl Top to the bottom of the valley downstream of Grimwith reservoir. After crashing through a steel crash barrier and a 3 foot (0.9144 m) high stone parapet above the River Dibb
it landed on its fibreglass roof in a garden 17 feet (5.2 m) below. The aluminium
sides of the coach then buckled on impact with the ground.
A plaque marks the spot where the accident occurred.
Town Hall, in July 1975, recorded a verdict of accidental death on the victims. Jury foreman John Mitchell said the accident was caused by the inability of the driver to negotiate the bend, owing to deficient brakes on the coach, due to possible lack of care in the maintenance of the braking system.
River Dibb
The River Dibb is located in North Yorkshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Wharfe. The Grimwith Reservoir is on the River Dibb at a point some 2½ miles from Appletreewick...
, below the Grimwith Reservoir
Grimwith Reservoir
Grimwith Reservoir is located in the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. It is accessed from the B6265 road east of Hebden and west of Pateley Bridge...
1.6 miles (2.6 km) east of Hebden, in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Appletreewick
Appletreewick
Appletreewick is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England; situated north-east of Skipton. The local travel links are located from the village to Skipton railway station and from Leeds Bradford International Airport...
in Craven
Craven
Craven is a local government district in North Yorkshire, England that came into being in 1974, centred on the market town of Skipton. In the changes to British local government of that year this district was formed as the merger of Skipton urban district, Settle Rural District and most of Skipton...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England. Thirty-one elderly passengers and the driver were killed, and thirteen others injured. It is the worst-ever road accident in the United Kingdom, by number of people killed.
Accident
The accident occurred when a coach carrying pensioners from Thornaby-on-TeesThornaby-on-Tees
Thornaby-on-Tees is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees, three miles southeast of Stockton-on-Tees, and four miles southwest of Middlesbrough town centre and has a...
was heading for tea in Grassington
Grassington
Grassington is a market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England.The town is situated in Wharfedale around from Bolton Abbey and is surrounded by limestone scenery...
. Whilst travelling between Greenhow
Greenhow
Greenhow is a village in North Yorkshire, England, often referred to as Greenhow Hill.The place name how is derived from the Old Norse word haugr meaning a hill and a mound....
and Hebden stand-in coach driver Roger Marriott, a British Steel
British Steel
British Steel was a major British steel producer. It originated as a nationalised industry, the British Steel Corporation , formed in 1967. This was converted to a public limited company, British Steel PLC, and privatised in 1988. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
security officer, missed a gear on the moorland road. The brakes then failed as it travelled down a 6:1 gradient from Fancarl Top to the bottom of the valley downstream of Grimwith reservoir. After crashing through a steel crash barrier and a 3 foot (0.9144 m) high stone parapet above the River Dibb
River Dibb
The River Dibb is located in North Yorkshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Wharfe. The Grimwith Reservoir is on the River Dibb at a point some 2½ miles from Appletreewick...
it landed on its fibreglass roof in a garden 17 feet (5.2 m) below. The aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
sides of the coach then buckled on impact with the ground.
A plaque marks the spot where the accident occurred.
Inquest
An inquest at SkiptonSkipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
Town Hall, in July 1975, recorded a verdict of accidental death on the victims. Jury foreman John Mitchell said the accident was caused by the inability of the driver to negotiate the bend, owing to deficient brakes on the coach, due to possible lack of care in the maintenance of the braking system.