Clapham train crash On 12 December 1988 the 07:18 from Basingstoke to London Waterloo was approaching Clapham Junction when the driver saw the signal. Survivors had to be cut out of the tangled carriages before being transferred to St Georges Hospital in Tooting. It had made me realise how precious life is, says Lee, who now lives in Winchester. The Clapham Junction rail crash was a multiple train collision just outside Clapham Junction railway station in London that occurred at 08:10 on 12 December 1988. 30 years on from #claphamrailcrash remembering all the victims but particularly John Barrett, . Moments later, an empty train heading away from London crashed into the wreckage. She died on 3 November, four weeks after the crash. Rip Jane. Ms Cotton had only recently finished training as a firefighter when she was called to attend the "terrible and tragic" crash site. There was a public inquiry chaired by Lord Justice Hidden. It is also the busiest station in the UK for interchanges between services. 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. The driver of the Bournemouth train, John Rolls, had not stood a chance. Every year is always quiet reflection day for me. It was immediately clear there had been major loss of life. Youre welcome; so sorry to hear you lost a friend. Marilyn Robinson, 73, escaped the wreckage of the Basingstoke train with relatively minor injuries. On a personal note, my father knew Mike and had worked alongside him installing these famous displays. The morning rush hour collision saw a crowded passenger train smash into the back of another train that had stopped at a red signal just short of Clapham Junction. Sam Di Lieto, 24, of Russell Square, Bloomsbury, central London. The alertness of a driver prevented a serious accident. can treat patients for minor ailments but for more complex problems the patient must be referred to a consultant. They were: Brian Cooper: "Kind and. You just dont anticipate something like this happening on your own doorstep, it was one of those unbelievable moments. If a patient needs major surgery this can only be carried out by a consultant who has significant experience in that field, you wouldnt want a knee surgeon operating on your eye for example. 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. It said he was driving in an exemplary manner. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Bosses from the emergency services and rail industry representatives also attended memorial events. His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. Hi I visited my sister the night before because of this she decided not to take that train but our late friend Jane did. Put new text under old text. Ms Cotton had only recently finished training as a firefighter when she was called to attend the "terrible and tragic" crash site. The Clapham disaster figures heavily in my memories of the Mayoralty. [26] Although British Rail was fined 250,000 (equivalent to 571,000 in 2021[27]) for breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. I had been in the London Ambulance Service for over eight years when this happened. News Stories His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. 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. 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. Thank you for sharing those memories Pete. My heartfelt thanks still go to the servicemen who cut me out, the doctors and nurses who saved my life at St Georges Hospital and to all those who helped me in the years following. The crash, just south of Clapham Junction station, killed 35 people and left. Read about our approach to external linking. Roger Brown, 44, of Isle of Dogs, east London, a software engineer. He immediately snatched the phone back to alert the signal box and call for emergency services. 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. Former Mayor remembers grieving relatives. The original document format was Paper, and comprised 250 pages. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Please enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. There was no top half of the body In the train people were screaming and too frightened to talk. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. [29], A memorial marking the location of the crash site is at the top of the cutting above the railway on Spencer Park, Battersea. Michael Newman, from Canford Cliffs, was a designer for the West End productions of Cats and Phantom of the Opera. Further Reading Clapham rail crash victims remembered Close It is 25 years since the Clapham rail crash, which left 35 people dead and hundreds injured. [11], An independent inquiry was chaired by Anthony Hidden, QC for the Department for Transport. That target sought to ensure that every conceivable lesson of the tragedy was learned and that the risk of such an accident happening again was reduced as near to zero as was humanly possible. company, who described him as "enthusiastic and dedicated", two months before the crash. 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. Another 415 sustained minor injuries. Please report any comments that break our rules. Muthulingam Thayaparan, 26, of Tooting, south-west London. The trains involved were the 07:18 from Basingstoke to London Waterloo and the 06:30 from Bournemouth. I more or less said to my secretary this had to have priority, she said. His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. Twenty-two of the people killed were from Dorset and the New Forest. British Rail was eventually fined 250,000 for health and safety violations relating to the crash, which left a further 500 people injured. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. The tragedy, on this day 33 years ago . Statistician Shaun Donoghue, 45, of New Cross, south east An inquiry promised by Mrs Thatcher was soon underway. 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. It also recommended that automatic train protection (ATP) be installed across the UK rail network. 30 years ago, just before 7.20am on the chilly morning of Monday December 12th 1988, the characteristic sound of doors slamming shut on an old-style British Rail train echoed along the platform at Basingstoke station as hundreds of commuters crammed into a service bound for LondonWaterloo. 8.09am: The driver of the 7.18am Basingstoke to Watereloo train notices a signal near Clapham Junction change suddenly from green to red. Most Wanted 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.. History, trivia, stories & more from Robert Lordan, author of 'The Knowledge, Train Your Brain Like a Cabbie'. The driver of a fourth train, coasting with no traction current, saw the other trains and managed to come to a stop behind the other two and the signal that should have protected them, which was showing a yellow "proceed with caution" aspect instead of a red "danger" aspect. Ola Bratlie, a 26-year-old telecommunications engineer. The pair had planned to return to New Zealand to get married. A small congregation gathered near the site of the accident at Clapham Junction rail station this morning and observed a two-minute silence. A Gannett Company. He was travelling to London for a national executive meeting of trade union Unison. This item is linked to the Accident at Clapham Junction on 12th December 1988. Mr Bowis said the boys from nearby Emanuel School were "impressive" in the way they came to help the injured, but added: "I'm very conscious that some very young eyes and minds were confronted with awful things.". The full report in November said the direct cause of the accident was faulty wiring by signals technician Brian Hemingway. He was from Gavdik in About 70 people suffered horrific injuries as the front section of the moving train was ripped open and completely destroyed. He was to celebrate his birthday on Sunday. The Clapham Junction rail crash on 12 December 1988 claimed the lives of 35 people. Charlotte Lund Andersen, 32, an international products manager from Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the US, who was living in Shrewsbury Mews, West London, was identified from her clothing and jewellery, said Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman. All I can remember is dust and debris as youve never experienced it in your life.. I think people felt we really did care.. This section of the Channel 4 news finds Peter Sissons updating viewers on the day's tragic events at the Clapham Junction rail crash. Engineer Chris Reeves, 38, who had been in the buffet car of the Bournemouth train, told reporters: We were doing 60-70mph when there was this almighty explosion. As a result of the accident 35 people died and nearly 500 were injured, 69 of them seriously. This document was kindly sourced from Library Service and is in our Accident inquiry documents collection. He found many errors in the way British Rail worked at that time. [11] Work associated with the Waterloo Area Resignalling Scheme meant new wiring had been installed,[12] but the old wiring had been left connected at one end, and loose and uninsulated at the other. 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. --90.218.111.72 (talk) 00:30, 31 August 2016 (UTC) It was discovered that he had only had one day off in the past 13 weeks and his work had not been supervised or inspected. 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.. Alison had moved to London three years previously and was travelling back from Southampton after a sailing weekend with her boyfriend. 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. riends and family of the 35 victims of the 1988 Clapham rail crash have gathered to pay their respects 25 years on. Shortly after 08:10,[2][3] the following train, the 06:30 from Bournemouth, made up of 4REP unit 2003 and 4TC units 8027 and 8015, collided with the Basingstoke train. Several victims of the Clapham Rail Disaster were pictured in the news the following day. To those nearby, it sounded like a bomb had gone off. ributes have been paid to the 35 people killed in the Clapham Junction rail crash 30 years on from the tragedy. A charity named in her memory has since given 80,000 disabled people the chance to sail on Southampton Water. The crash had the fourth highest death toll of any UK rail disaster since 1948. [24], Testing was mandated on British Rail signalling work[25] and the hours of work of employees involved in safety-critical work was limited. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. [10] The last casualty was taken to hospital at 13:04 and the last body was removed at 15:45. Impresario Harold Fielding said: Michael was the king of front of house design. 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. Police were continuing to check his personal details, such as age and address, Dr Knapman added. He then called the Clapham Junction station manager and asked him to call the emergency services. 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. However some were so badly injured that they required emergency procedures at the scene. The railway cutting through Wandsworth Common. Amidst the chaos, the walking wounded were able to tell some of the story. 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. Dr Khawar Tauheed, a Pakistan-born microbiologist from Romford, Essex. Matthew Macaulay, 26, an information technician from New Zealand living in Clapham, south London, identified by a tattoo on his back. The 'Hidden Report' into the causes of the collision south of Clapham Junction on December 12 1988, in which 35 people died. One minute you are here, the next you are not. Survivors and families paid their respects to the dead and almost 500 injured people at a church service. Best wishes, Pete. Description. Prayers at the service mentioned the pupils of nearby Emanuel School, who helped treat the injured after the crash. Copyright Info, Accident at Clapham Junction on 12th December 1988, A Report of the Collision that Occurred on 8 January 1991 at Cannon Street Station. An independent inquiry into the crash was set up by the Department of Transport, chaired by Anthony Hidden QC. London. 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. As the train from Basingstoke was approaching Clapham Junction, the driver saw the signal ahead of him change from green ("proceed") to red ("danger"). "A number of my friends on that train were killed.". 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. The purpose of this Investigation was not to look for one simple, single solution to account for the tragedy but to seek to establish both the immediate and the underlying causes of the accident and all the circumstances attending it. "I still remember it like it was yesterday.". This document was published on 27th September 1989 by His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Monday December 1 Signal technicians needed to attend refresher courses every five years, and testers needed to be trained and certified. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? The collision was the result of a signal failure caused by a wiring fault. Excessive working hours, cancellation of route-proving trains and lack of detailed planning were identified as contributory factors to the incident. A second service was also held at the memorial site, which was attended by train drivers and representatives of their union, Aslef. He joined the railways at 15, becoming a driver in 1964. Stay well. [15] Installation and testing was carried out at weekend during voluntary overtime, the technician having worked a seven-day week for the previous 13 weeks. Working hours for safety-critical staff were subjected to restrictions, to ensure fatigue could not cause such an accident again, and signalling testing & commissioning procedures were changed. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. I always say a prayer and light a candle for the other commuters that day and to the families of all those who lost their lives.. I saw all parts of the train flying into the airwe jumped over the railings and climbed into the train through a broken window. Thank you so much for sharing Louise, its truly humbling to hear about your experience. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. 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. The Clapham rail crash was the worst train accident of recent times. Mr Hodder had qualified to drive for the Maybe, if I try to word it differently, it'll be better received? He was to have celebrated his birthday on Sunday. 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. 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. Talk:Clapham Junction rail crash. [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". in Lexden, Colchester, Essex. "It was something you never forget," he said. His family described him as "a real gentleman, a kind and loving family man". The report made a number of recommendations, which altered the way the railway carries out its business. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. 2004 - 2023 railwaysarchive.co.uk - all rights reserved. Clapham Junction is a major railway station in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Both trains were carrying around 1,300 passengers between them during the morning rush hour. It seemed like fate had intervened, because I had missed out on going to Clapham. This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Clapham Junction rail crash article. At 8.13am on 12 December 1988, three trains collided in south London in one of the UK's worst rail disasters. We started pulling people out through the window.. [], This is an amazing piece of work. Fela Ladipo, 33, a computer expert, from Muswell Hill, north He was born in Nottingham. Read about our approach to external linking. Anthony Beeton, 47, married with two children, a civil servant with the Northern Ireland Office who had helped draft the Good Friday Agreement. Norway. The reason I was unable to source most of it, was because I didn't know how, but if so, it would be ALL from the Hidden Report as previously stated. Wiltshire. 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. Your email address will not be published. Under 100 characters, optional. A third train, carrying no passengers and comprising 4VEP units 3004 and 3425, was passing on the adjacent line in the other direction and collided with the wreckage immediately after the initial impact. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The 'Hidden Report' into the causes of the collision south of Clapham Junction on December 12 1988, in which 35 people died. Two memorials were held to remember those who lost their lives. Upon hearing the terrifying smash, teenagers far too young to witness the horror they were about to encounter scrambled down the slope to help. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. He recommended a reduction in working hours (staff had been working every day for weeks which inevitably leads to fatigue). "It was something you never forget," he said. Alongside personnel from Londons emergency services- including doctors who performed a number of operations and amputations on site, the greatest heroes that day were pupils from the Emanuel School which is located on the embankment overlooking the disaster zone. 6.30am: Passengers who usually catch the 6.14am Poole to London train have to get on at Bournemouth because of the previous nights disruption. I phoned his parents when I heard of the crash and they gave me the sad news that he had been on the train. 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 Poole train then veered and hit an empty oncoming train. Between 100 and 180 trains use the station every hour, except between midnight and 5am. kegworth air crash victims nameshow much did stan kroenke buy the rams for; . In that incident, a pair of redundant points had been left in an unsafe condition and undetectable by the signalling system. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. A total of 35 people died in the collision, while 484 were injured.[1]. Latest Documents Sunni Hah, 25, a recently qualified barrister who lived in London. --2A02:C7F:A817:1E00:10B5:D8AA:91B0:7A26 (talk) 22:12, 11 October 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply]. https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/ Contributions He needed a bone graft and had nine months off work. Over 400 people were also injured, 70 seriously, after three trains smashed into . Survivors and relatives of the victims attended a service. Remembered: The victims of the Clapham rail disaster 20 years on Wandsworth By Eleanor Harding Share Memorial: Teacher Simon Gregory with head girl Zoe Thomas-Webb and deputy head boy. Simon Edward. Required fields are marked *. My body has healed but I will never forget. 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. He had started a new job in Slough This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Links It is approximately 2.71 miles from London Victoria station and around 3.93 miles from London. He created the new human rights and equality commission in the province. British Rail was fined 250,000 for violations of health and safety law over the crash which has been described as the worst train accident of recent times.
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