St Bedes Junction rail crash
Encyclopedia
St. Bedes Junction lies between Jarrow
and Bede Metro station
s on what was the North Eastern Railway
line between Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and South Shields
. From the junction a mineral line descends on a gradient of 1 in 100 to Tyne Dock
Bottom. On 17 December 1915 in the early morning in fog, a goods train ran out onto the main line past St Bedes signalbox having been banked
in the rear up the incline by a six-coupled
tank engine. The banking engine, uncoupled dropped away from the goods train and came to a stand on the up main line, but was not seen by the signalman. Shortly afterwards the signalman accepted the 07:05 passenger train from South Shields to Newcastle on the up line, and the 06:58 empty stock train from Hebburn
to South Shields. The passenger train collided with the rear of the banking engine at 30 mph; telescoping the two leading coaches. Almost immediately the empty stock train collided with the wreckage, killing the fireman. The gas-lit passenger coaches were consumed by fire, killing 18.
and sending his fireman back to the signalbox, by which time it was too late to avert the accident. The continued use of gas-lighting also contributed to the severity of the accident and a circular was sent to all railway companies stressing the importance of replacing gas with electric lighting.
Jarrow Metro station
Jarrow Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the centre of the town of Jarrow in South Tyneside, England. It is on the system's Yellow line, but was originally on the Green line prior to the South Shields and South Hylton services being swapped over...
and Bede Metro station
Bede Metro station
Bede is the name of a Tyne and Wear Metro station in Jarrow. It is named after the Venerable Bede, a monk who established St Paul's monastery nearby during the 7th century. It serves an area mostly consisting of industrial estates, and is immediately adjacent to the J...
s on what was the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
line between Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
. From the junction a mineral line descends on a gradient of 1 in 100 to Tyne Dock
Tyne Dock
Tyne Dock is a neighbourhood within the town of South Shields, North East England, on the south bank of the River Tyne. It takes its name from the large dock on the river which was opened in 1859 by the Tyne Improvement Commission to handle Tyneside's coal exports...
Bottom. On 17 December 1915 in the early morning in fog, a goods train ran out onto the main line past St Bedes signalbox having been banked
Bank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
in the rear up the incline by a six-coupled
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
tank engine. The banking engine, uncoupled dropped away from the goods train and came to a stand on the up main line, but was not seen by the signalman. Shortly afterwards the signalman accepted the 07:05 passenger train from South Shields to Newcastle on the up line, and the 06:58 empty stock train from Hebburn
Hebburn
Hebburn is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Bill Quay...
to South Shields. The passenger train collided with the rear of the banking engine at 30 mph; telescoping the two leading coaches. Almost immediately the empty stock train collided with the wreckage, killing the fireman. The gas-lit passenger coaches were consumed by fire, killing 18.
Causes
The signalman's failure to notice that the goods train had been banked was the primary cause of the disaster. But also at fault was the driver of the banking engine who stood for 13 minutes before obeying Rule 55Rule 55
Rule 55 was an operating rule which applied on the former British Railways in the 19th century, and was made defunct when the was introduced following privatisation of the railway.- Overview :...
and sending his fireman back to the signalbox, by which time it was too late to avert the accident. The continued use of gas-lighting also contributed to the severity of the accident and a circular was sent to all railway companies stressing the importance of replacing gas with electric lighting.