St. Neots Derailment 1895
Encyclopedia
The St. Neots Derailment 1895 occurred near to St. Neots railway station on 10, November, 1895, when a Great Northern Railway
Scottish express from Kings Cross encountered a broken rail.
The train left Kings Cross on time at 2330 on the Saturday night and proceeded at normal speed, which would have been about 50 mph. It was hauled by one of the GNR's latest and largest of its 8 foot singles
, number. 1006. The consist was of eight vehicles: a guard's van, a coach, a Pullman Sleeping Car (Iona), a corridor coach, another sleeping car, two further coaches and a final guard's van. Fortunately it was only carryng twenty seven passengers.
About forty yards south of St. Neots station a broken rail derailed the train, the coupling of the second sleeping car parting. The hind part of the train veered to the left and struck a row of goods wagons in a siding to the north of the station. The forward part of the train came to a stand about a quarter of a mile further on.
There was one death, a lady called Louisa O'Hara who was propelled out of the sleeping car and struck her head against a goods wagon. Some four to six passengers were more or less severely injured, the guard also having struck his head.
Although the train crew became aware of unusual noises and movement within the train, it was impossible, in the darkness, for them to tell what was amiss. It transpired that a portion of the left hand rail had broken, derailing the coaches, which had scraped along the platform leaving a trail of debris. The coupling of the second sleeping car finally parted as it passed over the crossover to the siding, colliding with a row of coal wagons. It took the brunt of the impact, losing its roof, much of its body work being shattered, and the floor being driven back into the following coach. The next two coaches were thrown partly over and telescoped together, but the guard's van remained virtually undamaged.
Meanwhile, once stationary it was discovered that the front section of the train was also derailed. The first two carriages were undamaged (and were used to carry the uninjured passengers onto Peterborough
) but the Pullman car had damage to its wheels and undergear, while the following coach had lost all its glass on the left hand side. It too appeared to have struck some wagons but, fortunately, stayed upright and passed beneath the bridge.
On inspection the fracture faces of the broken rail were clean and bright, so it was clear that no inspection could have previously found a fault. The railway company blamed faulty manufacture, suggesting the cast iron was too brittle.
Sir Francis Marindin
of Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate
suggested that the first fracture of the rail took place over a chair at a minute induced flaw, which did not exist when the rail was manufactured. He also commented on the abnormally heavy axle loading of the locomotive: nearly 20 tons on the driving axle.
Though probably not as a direct response to this accident, the Stirling Singles were replaced in the next few years by Ivatt's Atlantics. At this time also, cast, or wrought, iron rails were being replaced with steel
and manufacturing processes were steadily improving. Serious accidents due to rail breakage, therefore, remained rare, though a full understanding of crack propagation from internal defects did not come about until the mid-twentieth century and the work of the British Rail Research Division
among others.
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
Scottish express from Kings Cross encountered a broken rail.
The train left Kings Cross on time at 2330 on the Saturday night and proceeded at normal speed, which would have been about 50 mph. It was hauled by one of the GNR's latest and largest of its 8 foot singles
GNR Stirling 4-2-2
The Great Northern Railway No. 1 class Stirling Single is a class of steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. Designed by Patrick Stirling, they are characterised by a single pair of large driving wheels which led to the nickname "eight-footer"...
, number. 1006. The consist was of eight vehicles: a guard's van, a coach, a Pullman Sleeping Car (Iona), a corridor coach, another sleeping car, two further coaches and a final guard's van. Fortunately it was only carryng twenty seven passengers.
About forty yards south of St. Neots station a broken rail derailed the train, the coupling of the second sleeping car parting. The hind part of the train veered to the left and struck a row of goods wagons in a siding to the north of the station. The forward part of the train came to a stand about a quarter of a mile further on.
There was one death, a lady called Louisa O'Hara who was propelled out of the sleeping car and struck her head against a goods wagon. Some four to six passengers were more or less severely injured, the guard also having struck his head.
Although the train crew became aware of unusual noises and movement within the train, it was impossible, in the darkness, for them to tell what was amiss. It transpired that a portion of the left hand rail had broken, derailing the coaches, which had scraped along the platform leaving a trail of debris. The coupling of the second sleeping car finally parted as it passed over the crossover to the siding, colliding with a row of coal wagons. It took the brunt of the impact, losing its roof, much of its body work being shattered, and the floor being driven back into the following coach. The next two coaches were thrown partly over and telescoped together, but the guard's van remained virtually undamaged.
Meanwhile, once stationary it was discovered that the front section of the train was also derailed. The first two carriages were undamaged (and were used to carry the uninjured passengers onto Peterborough
Peterborough railway station
Peterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
) but the Pullman car had damage to its wheels and undergear, while the following coach had lost all its glass on the left hand side. It too appeared to have struck some wagons but, fortunately, stayed upright and passed beneath the bridge.
On inspection the fracture faces of the broken rail were clean and bright, so it was clear that no inspection could have previously found a fault. The railway company blamed faulty manufacture, suggesting the cast iron was too brittle.
Sir Francis Marindin
Francis Marindin
Colonel Sir Francis Arthur Marindin, KCMG served with the Royal Engineers and was a key figure in the early development of association football. He was later knighted for his work in public services....
of Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate
Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate
Established in 1840, HM Railway Inspectorate was the British organisation responsible for overseeing safety on Britain's railways and tramways...
suggested that the first fracture of the rail took place over a chair at a minute induced flaw, which did not exist when the rail was manufactured. He also commented on the abnormally heavy axle loading of the locomotive: nearly 20 tons on the driving axle.
Though probably not as a direct response to this accident, the Stirling Singles were replaced in the next few years by Ivatt's Atlantics. At this time also, cast, or wrought, iron rails were being replaced with steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
and manufacturing processes were steadily improving. Serious accidents due to rail breakage, therefore, remained rare, though a full understanding of crack propagation from internal defects did not come about until the mid-twentieth century and the work of the British Rail Research Division
British Rail Research Division
The British Rail Research Division came into being in 1964 directly under the control of the British Railways Board, moving into purpose-built premises at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby. The intention was to improve railway reliability and efficiency, while reducing costs and improving revenue...
among others.