Salisbury rail crash
Encyclopedia
In the Salisbury rail crash of 1 July 1906, a London and South Western Railway
boat train
from Plymouth
's Friary railway station to London Waterloo station failed to navigate a very sharp curve at the eastern end of Salisbury railway station
. The curve had a speed limit
of 30 mph, but the express had been travelling at more than 70 mph. The train was completely derailed, and smashed into a milk train and a light engine, killing 28 people.
was opening, and it was claimed that the driver of the crashed train was trying to show that his railway was capable of competitive speeds. It was also rumoured that passengers – mostly rich New Yorkers
travelling to London from the transatlantic port at Plymouth – had bribed the driver to run the train as fast as possible, but there was not any evidence of this, and if anything the train had lost time earlier. Conversely, it was stated that drivers often ran through Salisbury very fast on these trains to "get a run" at the following hill. The engine was a new LSWR L12 class
4-4-0 with a higher centre of gravity than the earlier T9 class. The most likely cause of the accident is that the driver simply did not realise the level of risk he was running, particularly as this was the first occasion on which he had taken a non-stopping train through Salisbury. Also, steam locomotives at this time, and for half a century afterwards, were not fitted with speedometer
s.
As a result of the crash, all trains were required to stop at Salisbury station from that point onwards (the boat train at the time had no passenger stops from Plymouth to London Waterloo, although locomotives were changed at Templecombe
). The speed limit on the curve east of Salisbury was also reduced to 15 mph, a limit still effective today.
The accident was the first of a series of three derailments due to excessive speed at night in a year, the others being Grantham
1906 and Shrewsbury
1907. The results were the same but the causes were different.
In 2006, historian Frogg Moody organised a memorial service at Salisbury Railway Station and small booklet was also produced. Researched and co-written by Frogg Moody and historian George Fleming, the booklet included many unpublished photographs and the latest research into the disaster. Moody and Fleming are at present working on a new book that will give a more detailed history of the disaster and will include, for the first time, a photograph of the driver of the ill-fated boat train express.
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
boat train
Boat train
A boat train is a passenger train which connects with a passenger ship, such as a ferry or ocean liner. Through ticketing is normally available. -Notable named boat trains:*The Flèche d'Or Paris Gare du Nord to Calais...
from Plymouth
Plymouth Friary railway station
Plymouth Friary railway station was the London and South Western Railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England.-History:London and South Western Railway trains first arrived at Plymouth on 17 May 1876, entering the town from the east...
's Friary railway station to London Waterloo station failed to navigate a very sharp curve at the eastern end of Salisbury railway station
Salisbury railway station
Salisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
. The curve had a speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
of 30 mph, but the express had been travelling at more than 70 mph. The train was completely derailed, and smashed into a milk train and a light engine, killing 28 people.
Overview
The accident occurred at the same time as a short cut of the rival Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
was opening, and it was claimed that the driver of the crashed train was trying to show that his railway was capable of competitive speeds. It was also rumoured that passengers – mostly rich New Yorkers
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
travelling to London from the transatlantic port at Plymouth – had bribed the driver to run the train as fast as possible, but there was not any evidence of this, and if anything the train had lost time earlier. Conversely, it was stated that drivers often ran through Salisbury very fast on these trains to "get a run" at the following hill. The engine was a new LSWR L12 class
LSWR L12 Class
The London and South Western Railway L12 class was a class of 20 4-4-0 steam locomotives designed for express passenger work by Dugald Drummond. They were introduced to the London and South Western Railway network in 1904. Despite the class being an unremarkable continuation of the Drummond...
4-4-0 with a higher centre of gravity than the earlier T9 class. The most likely cause of the accident is that the driver simply did not realise the level of risk he was running, particularly as this was the first occasion on which he had taken a non-stopping train through Salisbury. Also, steam locomotives at this time, and for half a century afterwards, were not fitted with speedometer
Speedometer
A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...
s.
As a result of the crash, all trains were required to stop at Salisbury station from that point onwards (the boat train at the time had no passenger stops from Plymouth to London Waterloo, although locomotives were changed at Templecombe
Templecombe railway station
Templecombe railway station serves the town of Templecombe in Somerset, England. It is situated on the London Waterloo to Exeter line from London. The main station opened in 1860 but a smaller station on the lower line opened in 1862. It was closed in 1966 but was reopened in 1983 following local...
). The speed limit on the curve east of Salisbury was also reduced to 15 mph, a limit still effective today.
The accident was the first of a series of three derailments due to excessive speed at night in a year, the others being Grantham
Grantham rail accident
The Grantham rail accident occurred on 19 September 1906. An evening sleeping-car and mail train from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley hauled by Ivatt 'Atlantic' No 276 derailed, killing 14...
1906 and Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury rail accident
The Shrewsbury rail accident occurred on 15 October 1907. An overnight sleeping-car and mail train from Manchester to the West of England derailed on the sharply curved approach to Shrewsbury station, killing 18. Speed was estimated at 60 mph on a curve limited to 10...
1907. The results were the same but the causes were different.
In 2006, historian Frogg Moody organised a memorial service at Salisbury Railway Station and small booklet was also produced. Researched and co-written by Frogg Moody and historian George Fleming, the booklet included many unpublished photographs and the latest research into the disaster. Moody and Fleming are at present working on a new book that will give a more detailed history of the disaster and will include, for the first time, a photograph of the driver of the ill-fated boat train express.