Lichfield rail crash
Encyclopedia
On New Year's Day 1946 Lichfield Trent Valley station
in Staffordshire
, England was the site of a rail crash in which 20 people were killed. The disaster was caused by a points failure which routed the 14:50 fish express from Fleetwood
to London Broad Street consisting of seven four-wheel fish vans and a brake van
hauled by a Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
travelling at over 55 mph into the back of a four-car passenger train which was waiting at the station on the passing loop. The passenger train consisted of old wooden-bodied coaches dating from 1912, and the rear 3 coaches were virtually demolished and the engine (a LNWR Prince of Wales Class
4-6-0) was hurled forwards 90 yards.
Lichfield Trent Valley railway station
Lichfield Trent Valley is a split-level railway station on the outskirts of the city of Lichfield in Staffordshire, England. It is one of two stations in Lichfield, the other being in the city-centre.-History:...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England was the site of a rail crash in which 20 people were killed. The disaster was caused by a points failure which routed the 14:50 fish express from Fleetwood
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
to London Broad Street consisting of seven four-wheel fish vans and a brake van
Brake van
Brake van and guard's van are terms used mainly in the UK, Australia and India for a railway vehicle equipped with a hand brake which can be applied by the guard...
hauled by a Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
The London Midland and Scottish Railway's Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, is a class of steam locomotive. It was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951...
travelling at over 55 mph into the back of a four-car passenger train which was waiting at the station on the passing loop. The passenger train consisted of old wooden-bodied coaches dating from 1912, and the rear 3 coaches were virtually demolished and the engine (a LNWR Prince of Wales Class
LNWR Prince of Wales Class
The London and North Western Railway Prince of Wales Class was a class of express passenger passenger locomotive. It was in effect, a superheated version of the Experiment Class 4-6-0.They were introduced in 1911 by Charles Bowen-Cooke...
4-6-0) was hurled forwards 90 yards.