[16] The re-wiring had been done a few weeks previously, but the fault had only developed the previous day when equipment had been moved and the loose and uninsulated wire had created a false feed to a relay. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. He still remembers people being thrown around the carriage like rag dolls. RSS Feeds We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Remembered: The victims of the Clapham rail disaster 20 years on ", Why we sold our north London house to rent near Woking for more than our mortgage, South east London criminals jailed in April including rapist, flasher and murderer, Bromley classic car fanatic could be forced to sell collection due to ULEZ plans, Anita Rani hopes coronation coverage brings human moments and unknown quantity, Alan Carr to be part of judging panel for brand new ITV musical theatre show, World record crowd provides fitting end to historic Women's Six Nations, AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. IT is almost 30 years since a crowded passenger train crashed into another train at Clapham Junction railway station in London, killing 35 people. Police were continuing to check his personal details, such as age and address, Dr Knapman added. Cyril Elliott, 41, a married management consultant from Beckenham, Kent, was identified from his dental records. The Clapham Junction rail crash on 12 December 1988 claimed the lives of 35 people. On the following morning your predecessor as Secretary of State for Transport invited me to hold a formal Investigation into the causes and all the circumstances attending the accident under section 7 of the Regulation of Railways Act 1871. Clapham rail crash victims remembered - BBC News This is a fascinating account of a tragic disaster. Mark I carriages have to be used instead of the newer, safer Mark III. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. He was to celebrate his birthday on Sunday. The collision was the result of a signal failure caused by a wiring fault. Page contents not supported in other languages. British Rail was fined 250,000 for violations of health and safety law in connection with the accident, which has been described as the worst train accident of recent times. But 11 years later, I was in the first ambulance to arrive at the Labdroke Grove Train Crash. I woke up to see it on the news, and felt grateful not to have been at work. Credits However, after three further fatal crashes caused by red signals being passed, calls were once again made to install it across the UK in 2002. The Clapham rail crash was the worst train accident of recent times. He had been on his way to new job in the City. I was off duty that day, sleeping after night shifts. A Gannett Company. contact the editor here. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. He had lived with his girlfriend for 10 years. one week before the crash. I was severely injured in the crash, trapped for 2 1/2 hours, lost a limb and had multiple other internal and external injuries. Although many of the Hidden report's 93 recommendations were acted on, a rail accident report last month found lessons learned in the disaster were being "forgotten". Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. What if. On This Day: Clapham Junction rail crash kills 35 people Neil Dowse, 39, a sheet metal worker who worked in Slough but If I use the analogy of doctors, so a G.P. Bryan Tompson, a 61-year-old freelance engineer from Ampney Crucis, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, who leaves a wife, four children and six grandchildren. Fiona Grey, 33, from Alexandria, Dumbarton, was identified from her dental records. London. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The scene near Clapham Junction Station following the rush hour rail crash on December 12, 1988, An injured man is helped to safety following the worst rain crash in recent times, The scene of the train crash as emergency services moved in, The trains involved were the 07:18 from Basingstoke to London Waterloo and the 06:30 from Bournemouth, Two mourners embrace at the scene at 8.13am - the time of the crash - on the 10th anniversary of the disaster, New video reveals scale of Tube strike mayhem at Clapham Junction, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Bless you, Robert. can treat patients for minor ailments but for more complex problems the patient must be referred to a consultant. [], This is an amazing piece of work. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. A crowded passenger train crashed into the rear of another train that had stopped at a signal, and an empty train, travelling in the other direction, crashed into the debris. Clapham Rail Disaster Anniversary - PA Images It was a terrible situation for a lot of people and I just thought I must do whatever I can here to show that the town of Bournemouth is really sad about this and wants to help.. --5.66.251.219 (talk) 00:52, 29 August 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply], I posted, but I am unable to add References as of yet due to being busy. I'll try and make a better article soon-ish and get it to be relatively shorter then my previous attempt. Marilyn Robinson, 73, escaped the wreckage of the Basingstoke train with relatively minor injuries. [32] A year later, a report into a collision at London Waterloo highlighted similar circumstances, saying that "some of the lessons from the 1988 Clapham Junction accident are fading from the railway industry's collective memory". On a personal note, my father knew Mike and had worked alongside him installing these famous displays. According to witnesses onboard, the driver of this train- John Rolls barged through the door of his cab in the final seconds before impact, no doubt realising it was impossible to brake in time. Signal technicians needed to attend refresher courses every five years, and testers needed to be trained and certified. He was identified from his clothing and documents. The very first person to enter the stricken carriages was Terry Stoppani whose birthday it happened to be that day. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Talk:Clapham Junction rail crash - Wikipedia Clapham's legacy After the crash, an inquiry led to a number of . "I still remember it like it was yesterday.". Sure I could cut out some of the Information that is a bit laborious (Like a description of the Relay Room,, the Trains that passed the Signal previously I'd say could have been removed almost entirely) but the rest of it I'd say was completely fair. Moments later, an empty train heading away from London crashed into the wreckage. Investigation into the Clapham Junction Railway Accident On 12 December 1988 the 07:18 from Basingstoke to London Waterloo, a crowded 12-car train made up of four-car 4VEP electric multiple units 3033, 3119 and 3005, was approaching Clapham Junction when the driver saw the signal ahead of him change from green ("proceed") to red ("danger"). He lived with his fiancee in Fulham, south-west London. Shocked passenger receives assistance after a rail crash near Clapham Junction in London, in which 35 people were killed and over 100 injured,. The Clapham Junction railway crash occurred on the morning of 12 December 1988, when a crowded British Rail passenger train crashed into the rear of another train that had stopped at a signal just south of Clapham Junction railway station in London, England, and subsequently sideswiped an empty train travelling in the opposite direction. If someone else can that would be very good. Lee Middleton a survivor on the Bournemouth train- described the moment: I heard a deafening noise and then all hell let loose. John Northcott, 24, a graduate working in the IT industry, of Leyton, east London. The Clapham disaster figures heavily in my memories of the Mayoralty. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. My body has healed but I will never forget. . Sam Di Lieto, 24, of Russell Square, Bloomsbury, central London. Norway. Please see this explanation for further details. John Raisin, 61, of Painswick, Gloucestershire, a married recruitment consultant with grown-up children and grandchildren. November 5, 1967 Hither Green rail crash, pictured. The Hidden inquiry into the crash said the primary cause was "wiring errors" made by a rail worker who had had one. After hugging Ms Cotton at the wreath-laying event in Spencer Park, Battersea, Ms Robinson said: "When these things happen to you, you have a choice. "There were Christmas cards strewn everywhere as people must have been writing their cards on the train," she said. He had also performed the work during his 13th consecutive seven-day workweek. "There were Christmas cards strewn everywhere as people must have been writing their cards on the train," she said. Youre welcome; so sorry to hear you lost a friend. British Rail was fined 250,000 for violations of health and safety law in connection with the accident. He was from Gavdik in She had become engaged to be married in the summer. Mr Hodder had qualified to drive for the Green, north London. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Mercifully this train was empty, although tragically a number of people whod been ejected from the Basingstoke carriages were crushed beneath its wheels. Under 100 characters, optional. At 8.13am on Wednesday 12th December 2018, the train drivers union, ASLEF will be staging a two minute silence beside the memorial to mark the disasters thirtieth anniversary. We were getting thrown around the carriage like rag dollsI heard crying and moaning I thought it was curtains for me., Lee found himself pinned beneath the wreckage, his gaze forced towards the clear winter sky which had been exposed after the carriage roof was, as another survivor put it, split open like a ripe tomato.. The Clapham Rail Crash Memorial at Spencer Park (image: Geograph). He designed just about all the front sets in the West End now.. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. The married father-of-two was described as "extremely successful, very intelligent", who would always do what he could do help people. "I will never forget" - remembering the Clapham rail disaster 25 years 6635 documents9207 accidentsUpdated 24th Apr, On This Day in History - 1859: The Royal Albert Bridge across the river Tamar, designed and built by Brunel, opens. The train drivers' union Aslef held a separate wreath-laying event and two-minute silence at the Spencer Park memorial at 08:13, to mark the exact moment the crash happened. A BBC news report from the evening of December 12th 1988 detailing the catastrophe can be viewed below: Overall 35 people were killed and hundreds more injured in what became known as the Clapham Rail Disaster. Simon Edward. He was visited in hospital in London by Mrs Thatcher, before being moved to Southampton General in time for Christmas. The operator in the nearby Raynes Park electrical control room suspected there had been a derailment and re-configured the supply so that the nearby Wimbledon line trains could still run. Many of the passengers were in a deep state of shock, so much so that they were unable to comprehend where they were or what had happened. It is approximately 2.71 miles from London Victoria station and around 3.93 miles from London Waterloo. [24], Testing was mandated on British Rail signalling work[25] and the hours of work of employees involved in safety-critical work was limited. After hugging Ms Cotton at the wreath-laying event in Spencer Park, Battersea, Ms Robinson said: "When these things happen to you, you have a choice. Simon Wood, 40, a project worker for a charity working with homeless children, of Liss, The primary cause of the crash was incorrect wiring work during a stage of the Waterloo Area Resignalling Scheme (WARS); this work left a redundant wire connected at one end, and bare at the other. Thirty-five people were killed and 484 others suffered injuries in the crash shortly after 8am on Monday, December 12 1988. Further Reading [11], An independent inquiry was chaired by Anthony Hidden, QC for the Department for Transport. Clapham rail crash victims remembered A two-minute silence has been held to remember 35 people who died in the Clapham rail crash 25 years ago. Bournemouth train driver John Rolls with wife Susan, His father Charlie told the Echo then: He was a go-ahead whizz kid. It remains the worst mainline train crash in terms of . Wreaths have been laid and a minute's silence held to remember the 35 people killed in a train crash in south London 30 years ago. 'It was fate I survived Clapham 30 years ago' - Express Best wishes. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. [5], The driver of the Basingstoke train was off his train and standing by the line-side telephone when his train was pushed forward several feet by the collision. The crash, just south of Clapham Junction station, killed 35 people and left almost 500 injured. Married caretaker Robert Cotton, 41, of Rednock School, Dursley, Gloucestershire, who also worked as a local councillor. TWENTY-five years ago this morning, 35 people lost their lives in one of the worst rail disasters of modern times. Michael Newman, who my father knew personally, can be seen in the bottom right hand corner (image: The Times). The primary cause of the crash was incorrect wiring work during a stage of the Waterloo Area Resignalling Scheme (WARS); this work left a redundant wire connected at one end, and bare at the other. An independent inquiry chaired by Anthony Hidden, QC found that the signalling technician responsible had not been told that his working practices were wrong, and his work had not been inspected by an independent person. Speaking at the memorial service today, he said: "I was one of the lucky ones. The electrician whod overlooked the fault had been on voluntary overtime which had seen him working seven days a week for the past thirteen weeks; a regime which had inevitably led to exhaustion. Matthew Macaulay, 26, an information technician from New Zealand living in Clapham, south London, identified by a tattoo on his back. Hidden was critical of the health and safety culture within British Rail at the time, and his recommendations included ensuring that work was independently inspected and that a senior project manager be made responsible for all aspects of any major, safety-critical project such as re-signalling work. Alan Stewart, 28, an accountant from Auckland in New Zealand. He was born in Nottingham. Faulty wiring and an incorrect signal caused the 1988 crash at Clapham Junction Wreaths have been laid and a minute's silence held to remember the 35 people killed in a train crash in south. Although this Accident was a rather major incident on British Railways, the Wikipedia Article of which is rather lacking in the details given by Hidden's Report. Thanks for the advice. As the train from Basingstoke was approaching Clapham Junction, the driver saw the signal ahead of him change from green ("proceed") to red ("danger"). 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. A 250-page report on the findings of the accident inquiry, chaired by Anthony Hidden QC, found faulty wiring had caused an incorrect signal to be displayed to a train driver, who was driving into a blind bend and had no chance to stop. They were: Brian Cooper: "Kind and. It was determined that the cause of the accident- the light which had inexplicably flicked from green to red- was down to faulty signal wiringhoused within a unit that was approximately fifty years old. The silence was held at 08:13 GMT, the exact time the three-train collision happened close to Clapham Junction station in south London. Description. Hi I visited my sister the night before because of this she decided not to take that train but our late friend Jane did. "I still remember it like it was yesterday.". It also recommended that automatic train protection (ATP) be installed across the UK rail network. 31st October 1995Railway Accident at Cowden: A Report of the Inquiry into the Collision between two Passenger Trains which occurred at Cowden on 15 October 1994 -- More Tools -- I never saw this article until now, but it was a good piece and was nice to see that it and he are still remembered. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. New to Wikipedia? The 30th Anniversary of the Clapham Rail Disaster Chartered accountant George Gillon, 71, was in the third carriage of the London-bound Bournemouth train when the accident happened. Hampshire. A special service has taken place to remember the victims of the Clapham rail disaster 25 years ago today. Seven weeks after the tragedy, a memorial service at Winchester Cathedral was attended by the Duchess of York, as well as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and opposition leader Neil Kinnock. I had been in the London Ambulance Service for over eight years when this happened. Impresario Harold Fielding said: Michael was the king of front of house design. A 1978 British Rail Southern Region report had concluded that due to the age of the equipment the re-signalling was needed by 1986. Well, I wrote a much more detailed version, but it got deleted. Railway historian Adrian Vaughan suggests this may not be the best way of handling faulty signals. Lee Middleton, then a 39-year-old father of two, had caught the train at Brockenhurst that morning. He had been working seven days a week for 13 weeks. Both trains were carrying around 1,300 passengers between them during the morning rush hour. Most Wanted Transport Libraries Is climate change killing Australian wine? In 1989 a memorial to those who were killed and injured was unveiled on Spencer Park which overlooks the site of the tragedy. Unable to stop at the signal, he stopped his train at the next signal and then reported to the signal box by means of a line-side telephone. He had no control over automatic signals, however, and was not able to stop the fourth train. Ms Cotton had only recently finished training as a firefighter when she was called to attend the "terrible and tragic" crash site. List name. The report made 93 safety recommendations and the government pledged to implement them. It takes 12 hours to clear the line. The signalling technician who had done the work had not cut back, insulated, nor tied back the loose wire and his work had not been supervised, nor inspected by an independent person as was required. Bill Webb, a 39-year-old accountant, died on an operating table after the accident. The Knowledge of London: Training to be a London Cabbie, The Archive: Links to all previous articles, https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/, From London to Lockerbie: The 30th Anniversary of Pan Am 103 | View from the Mirror, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYAVtF7v-U, Follow View from the Mirror on WordPress.com, RobsLondon YouTube Channel: Exploring Waterloos Secret Arches, Candid Capital: From the Suburbs to The City, Keith Flint: A Tribute to The Firestarter, Introducing the View From the Mirror Archive- a new contents page, From London to Lockerbie: The 30th Anniversary of Pan Am 103, The 30th Anniversary of the Clapham Rail Disaster. [33], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}512726N 01028W / 51.4571N 0.1744W / 51.4571; -0.1744, View of the crash site and clean up operations following the accident, Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, "On This Day, 12 December 1988: 35 dead in Clapham rail collision", "Changes in Working Hours Safety Critical Work", "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", "Legislating the Criminal Code: Involuntary Manslaughter", "Serious irregularity at Cardiff East Junction 29 December 2016", "Collision at London Waterloo 15 August 2017", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clapham_Junction_rail_crash&oldid=1132102074, This page was last edited on 7 January 2023, at 07:37. Survivors and families paid their respects to the dead and almost 500 injured people at a church service. 2023 BBC. A total of 35 people died in the collision, while 484 were injured.[1]. The 31 victims identified A tribute is left for victim Derek Antonowitz, 25, near the crash site Thirty-one people died in the Paddington train crash. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Sir Anthony Hidden - PressReader Back at the trackside meanwhile, Alexander could only watch in horror as carriages from his Basingstoke train were thrown into the air, hurling a number of passengers out. --2A02:C7F:A817:1E00:4C9C:11A0:D6F7:6B13 (talk) 20:09, 8 October 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply], Alrighty, this is for anyone who wants to read about the Article, but more especially for Tagish, the plan I have for the re-write of the Article is to slightly follow the Formula of the Article about the Abbots Ripton rail accident in that it gives a Rough Overview, explanation on the Geography, Signalling and the like, then the Accident in greater depth. Upon hearing the terrifying smash, teenagers far too young to witness the horror they were about to encounter scrambled down the slope to help. Thank you for sharing those memories Pete. Clapham Junction rail crash: Tributes paid 30 years on [19], Critical of the health and safety culture within British Rail at the time,[19] Hidden recommended that unused signal wires needed to be cut back and insulated, and that a testing plan be in place, with the inspection and testing being done by an independent person. About 70 people suffered horrific injuries as the front section of the moving train was ripped open and completely destroyed. British Rail area manager John Curley said: He was one of the best drivers we have had in Bournemouth and was a very highly skilled tradesman.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Andrew Thompson, a 52-year-old father-of-four who was a prominent member of his local church He found many errors in the way British Rail worked at that time. If the Basingstoke train had carried on to the signal following the next signal, the crash would not have happened because the Bournemouth train would have stopped at the signal where the crash occurred. News Stories He had two children, aged three and six. Despite its name, the district of Clapham is around one mile south-east of the station. Amongst the dead was technician Michael Newman whose glittering theatre signs for shows such as ' Cats ', ' Singing in the Rain' and ' Phantom of the Opera ' earned him the nickname, " the man who brought the West End to light ." Faulty wiring and an incorrect signal caused the 1988 crash at Clapham Junction, It took hours for firefighters and medics to free trapped people and recover bodies, Marilyn Robinson was on her way from Basingstoke to a course in London when her train was struck, The Met's Cressida Dick, London mayor Sadiq Khan and LFB's Dany Cotton each laid a wreath at a memorial in Spencer Park, Battersea, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. You can be a victim or you can be a survivor. Read about our approach to external linking. The driver of the Bournemouth train, John Rolls, had not stood a chance. https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/ This section of the Channel 4 news finds Peter Sissons updating viewers on the day's tragic events at the Clapham Junction rail crash. But it said Mr Hemingways uncharacteristic errors were because his judgement had been blunted by a totally unacceptable level of overtime. --2A02:C7F:A817:1E00:10B5:D8AA:91B0:7A26 (talk) 22:12, 11 October 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply]. At 11:00 on Wednesday, Ms Cotton joined survivors and families as well as the London mayor Sadiq Khan, the Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, and rail industry representatives to lay wreaths and hold a minute's silence at a memorial to victims in Spencer Park, Battersea, followed by a service at St Mark's church. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? To those nearby, it sounded like a bomb had gone off. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Links to more UK stories are at the foot of the page. As a result, the technician who carried out the work had done so on voluntary overtime. 2023 BBC. 8.13am: The Bournemouth train ploughs into the back of the Basingstoke train at around 50mph. The 'Hidden Report' into the causes of the collision south of Clapham Junction on December 12 1988, in which 35 people died. I met all these people who were involved or affected in different ways and I decided I was going to have them all to the Mayors Parlour in the New Year. Excessive working hours, cancellation of route-proving trains and lack of detailed planning were identified as contributory factors to the incident. Memorial held to mark Clapham rail disaster 25th anniversary British Rail was eventually fined 250,000 for health and safety violations relating to the crash, which left a further 500 people injured. That was until it approached a green signal which suddenly flickered to red without warning.

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