Purley station rail crash
Encyclopedia
The Purley station rail crash was a train accident on the British railway system that occurred just to the north of Purley railway station
in the London Borough of Croydon
on Saturday 4 March 1989, leaving five dead and 94 injured.
The 12:50 from Horsham
(a four-car Class 423 unit
) had stopped at the station and then crossed to the fast line, when the 12:17 from Littlehampton
(comprising two four-car Class 421 units
) ran through a red signal (SPAD
) into the back of it. Five coaches left the track and came off the embankment, so that they had to be recovered by road.
warning, but the audible warning was the same for double yellow, yellow and red signals. As a result, on these busy lines, drivers are constantly cancelling AWS warnings and it becomes routine habit. The problem had been recognised for many years but no technical solution had been found at reasonable cost.
A notable feature of the accident was that the driver, Robert Morgan, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and sentenced to 12 months in prison plus 6 months suspended, despite the known deficiency of the AWS system. He had an exemplary record over 22 years, but became the only driver in UK railway history to be imprisoned for such an error. Media pressure was intense following the previous year's accident at Clapham Junction
.
The driver's sentence was later cut to four months upon appeal, and on 12 December 2007 his convictions for manslaughter
were overturned by the Court of Appeal, ruling the conviction "unsafe". Lord Latham commented in his judgement that "something about the infrastructure of this particular junction was causing mistakes to be made" due to new evidence showing that there had been four previous SPADs
at the same location in the five years prior to the rail crash.
Robert Morgan drowned in a boating accident on the Isle of Wight's River Medina on 21 March 2009, aged 66.
which has to be cancelled by the driver as a matter of habit, and does not differentiate between a signal showing a preliminary warning and a signal at danger. When working normally, the newer Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) always applies the brakes if a fitted signal is passed at 'danger'.
Following the Purley crash, the two signals immediately to the rear of the crash site were configured to be double blocked. This arrangement remains in use but with TPWS now installed it is unnecessary and impacts on service reliability and so funds have been allocated to enable the double block to be removed.
A memorial garden was created at the station to commemorate the accident.
Purley railway station
Purley railway station is at Purley in the London Borough of Croydon, on the main London to Brighton line, in Travelcard Zone 6. It is a junction, with branches to Caterham and Tattenham Corner. There are sidings used by the Day and Son gravel company, part of whose installation has been given a...
in the London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
on Saturday 4 March 1989, leaving five dead and 94 injured.
The 12:50 from Horsham
Horsham railway station
Horsham railway station serves the town of Horsham in West Sussex, England. It is on the Arun Valley Line 61 km south of London Victoria and the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines, and train services are provided by Southern...
(a four-car Class 423 unit
British Rail Class 423
The British Rail Class 423 electrical multiple units were built by BR at York Works from 1967 to 1974, although the MBSOs and TSOs of the first 20, 7701-7720, were constructed at Derby Works. They feature manually-opening doors next to every seating row and were the last coaching stock built in...
) had stopped at the station and then crossed to the fast line, when the 12:17 from Littlehampton
Littlehampton railway station
Littlehampton railway station is in Littlehampton in the county of West Sussex. The station and the trains serving it are operated by Southern....
(comprising two four-car Class 421 units
British Rail Class 421
The British Rail Class 421 electrical multiple units were built at BR York Works between 1964 and 1972. Units were built in two batches, and were initially introduced on services on the Brighton Main Line. Later units were introduced on services to Portsmouth. These units replaced older Southern...
) ran through a red signal (SPAD
Signal passed at danger
A Signal passed at danger , in British railway terminology, occurs when a train passes a stop signal without authority to do so. It is a term primarily used within the British Railway Industry, although it can be applied worldwide.-Categories of SPAD:...
) into the back of it. Five coaches left the track and came off the embankment, so that they had to be recovered by road.
Cause
The cause was one which had led to many collisions over the last 150 years; the driver missed a warning signal in advance so that there was insufficient time to stop when he saw the red signal. He would have received an AWSAutomatic Warning System
The Automatic Warning System is a form of limited cab signalling and train protection system introduced in 1956 in the United Kingdom to help train drivers observe and obey signals. It was based on a 1930 system developed by Alfred Ernest Hudd and marketed as the "Strowger-Hudd" system...
warning, but the audible warning was the same for double yellow, yellow and red signals. As a result, on these busy lines, drivers are constantly cancelling AWS warnings and it becomes routine habit. The problem had been recognised for many years but no technical solution had been found at reasonable cost.
A notable feature of the accident was that the driver, Robert Morgan, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and sentenced to 12 months in prison plus 6 months suspended, despite the known deficiency of the AWS system. He had an exemplary record over 22 years, but became the only driver in UK railway history to be imprisoned for such an error. Media pressure was intense following the previous year's accident at Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction rail crash
The Clapham Junction rail crash was a serious railway accident involving two collisions between three commuter trains at 08:10 on the morning of Monday, 12 December 1988....
.
The driver's sentence was later cut to four months upon appeal, and on 12 December 2007 his convictions for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
were overturned by the Court of Appeal, ruling the conviction "unsafe". Lord Latham commented in his judgement that "something about the infrastructure of this particular junction was causing mistakes to be made" due to new evidence showing that there had been four previous SPADs
Signal passed at danger
A Signal passed at danger , in British railway terminology, occurs when a train passes a stop signal without authority to do so. It is a term primarily used within the British Railway Industry, although it can be applied worldwide.-Categories of SPAD:...
at the same location in the five years prior to the rail crash.
Robert Morgan drowned in a boating accident on the Isle of Wight's River Medina on 21 March 2009, aged 66.
Preventing recurrence
This accident illustrates the limitations of the British Rail Automatic Warning SystemAutomatic Warning System
The Automatic Warning System is a form of limited cab signalling and train protection system introduced in 1956 in the United Kingdom to help train drivers observe and obey signals. It was based on a 1930 system developed by Alfred Ernest Hudd and marketed as the "Strowger-Hudd" system...
which has to be cancelled by the driver as a matter of habit, and does not differentiate between a signal showing a preliminary warning and a signal at danger. When working normally, the newer Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) always applies the brakes if a fitted signal is passed at 'danger'.
Following the Purley crash, the two signals immediately to the rear of the crash site were configured to be double blocked. This arrangement remains in use but with TPWS now installed it is unnecessary and impacts on service reliability and so funds have been allocated to enable the double block to be removed.
A memorial garden was created at the station to commemorate the accident.