30 years on from #claphamrailcrash remembering all the victims but particularly John Barrett, . However some were so badly injured that they required emergency procedures at the scene. I had been in the London Ambulance Service for over eight years when this happened. Amidst the chaos, the walking wounded were able to tell some of the story. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. The wire came into contact with a relay, causing a signal to display a 'wrong side' green aspect regardless of the presence of a train on the track circuit. The Thames train driver, Michael Hodder, 31, a married father of two from Reading, Berks, was identified by his dental records. Matthew Macaulay, 26, an information technician from New Zealand living in Clapham, south London, identified by a tattoo on his back. 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. Sir Anthony Hidden, judge - obituary - The Telegraph 8.13am: The Bournemouth train ploughs into the back of the Basingstoke train at around 50mph. Stephen Loader, 34, was on the way to his job as a personnel manager at Global Bank. It takes 12 hours to clear the line. Rip Jane. [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". He was from Gavdik in He lived with his fiancee in Fulham, south-west London. Clapham Junction rail crash - Wikipedia The Clapham Junction rail crash on 12 December 1988 claimed the lives of 35 people. Shocked passenger receives assistance after a rail crash near Clapham Junction in London, in which 35 people were killed and over 100 injured,. I just hope that what I did helped because thats what was needed at the time help. 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. I was in London a couple of months before this happened, and knew nothing about it. It established that the rewiring works, which had first been recommended in 1978, were under pressure to be completed and understaffed. (Please note this article contains details and images which some readers may find upsetting). History, trivia, stories & more from Robert Lordan, author of 'The Knowledge, Train Your Brain Like a Cabbie'. London. His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. Survivors attended a service at the crash memorial site near the scene of the accident, which took place on 12 December 1988. Is climate change killing Australian wine? One of the simplest changes was that any wire which was not terminated on a terminal had to have a special insulated crimp on the end. Two slam-door trains in 1986 (image: Wikipedia). British Rail was eventually fined 250,000 for health and safety violations relating to the crash, which left a further 500 people injured. Ms Cotton had only recently finished training as a firefighter when she was called to attend the "terrible and tragic" crash site. Depending on the status and age of the original document, you may need an OPSI click-use license if you wish to reproduce this material, and other restrictions may apply. The names of those who died are set out at Appendix A. He had lived with his girlfriend for 10 years. In that incident, a pair of redundant points had been left in an unsafe condition and undetectable by the signalling system. The government at the time would not commit to the cost, but the simpler Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) has since been installed across the network, but this system is still unable to stop trains travelling at more than 75mph from passing through a red signal. A second service was also held at the memorial site, which was attended by train drivers and representatives of their union, Aslef. JACKY Harris was the Mayor of Bournemouth when the Clapham rail disaster occurred and immediately made it her priority to help in whatever way she could. Plasterer Delroy Manning, 39, born in Jamaica, of Lewisham, south east London. Alan Stewart, 28, an accountant from Auckland in New Zealand. One, George Gillon, from London, said he was "one of the lucky ones". 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. 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. RSS Feeds A special service has taken place to remember the victims of the Clapham rail disaster 25 years ago today. 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. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? About 70 people suffered horrific injuries as the front section of the moving train was ripped open and completely destroyed. Bosses from the emergency services and rail industry representatives also attended memorial events. 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. 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. 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. In 1996 the collision was one of the events cited by the Law Commission as reason for new law on manslaughter, resulting in the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. The married father-of-two was described as "extremely successful, very intelligent", who would always do what he could do help people. British Rail was fined 250,000 for violations of health and safety law in connection with the accident. Statistics "A number of my friends on that train were killed.". Jenny Carmichael, 22, a bar worker from the Tap and Spile pub in Newbury. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. She had become engaged to be married in the summer. [11], An independent inquiry was chaired by Anthony Hidden, QC for the Department for Transport. It is approximately 2.71 miles from London Victoria station and around 3.93 miles from London. 2023 BBC. The original document format was Paper, and comprised 250 pages. Thank you for a such a respectful article. Clapham Junction is a major railway station in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. 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. The Clapham Junction rail crash on 12 December 1988 claimed the lives of 35 people. Married caretaker Robert Cotton, 41, of Rednock School, Dursley, Gloucestershire, who also worked as a local councillor. 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.. 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. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. That signal was still showing a yellow "proceed with caution" instead of a red "danger" light. Well, I wrote a much more detailed version, but it got deleted. SIR ANTHONY HIDDEN, who has died aged 79, was a prominent QC - and later a High Court judge - whose report into the Clapham train crash of December 12 1988 in which 35 people were killed and 132 injured forced British Rail to overhaul its safety culture. 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.". https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/ . Rescue workers clamber over the wreckage of three trains that crashed near Clapham Junction, London, to help injured passengers following a multiple train crash in which 35 people were killed and 500 were injured. BBC News | UK | Inquest names crash victims Unable to stop in time, the driver- Alexander McClymont halted the train in a cutting on Wandsworth Common, just before Battersea Rise and about half a mile south of Clapham Junction station, where he climbed down from the cab and used a trackside telephone to inform the nearest signal box of the problem. 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. The Bournemouth train ploughed into the Basingstoke service, killing John and many others instantly. The report made 93 recommendations for safety improvements, including a limit on the number of hours signalmen were allowed to work. 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. [29], A memorial marking the location of the crash site is at the top of the cutting above the railway on Spencer Park, Battersea. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests. His eventual report included 93 recommendations, for changes to the working practices of both British Rail and the emergency services.[13]. Twenty-two of the people killed were from Dorset and the New Forest. --2A02:C7F:A817:1E00:91BF:6588:CF9F:52E4 (talk) 21:57, 7 October 2016 (UTC)Reply[reply], But other articles in more minor Railway accidents, like the Abbots Ripton rail accident has more detail then this. A 1978 British Rail Southern Region report had concluded that due to the age of the equipment the re-signalling was needed by 1986. Many thanks for those kind words and for sharing your experience, much appreciated. ATP, which governs speeds and automatically stops trains at red signals, was deemed too expensive to install prior to rail privatisation in 1993. Another un-named 14 year old held a trapped passenger upright in their twisted seat for several hours before they could be freed. However, approval was given in 1984 after a report of three wrong-side signal failures. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Mercifully this train was empty, although tragically a number of people whod been ejected from the Basingstoke carriages were crushed beneath its wheels. 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. Clapham Rail Disaster Anniversary - PA Images Clapham Junction rail crash memorial - Virtual Globetrotting Linda Ship, 47, and her sister Diana O'Carroll, 44, travelled from Hampshire to remember their father Arthur Creek, 48, who was killed on the train. [21] Unprotected wrong side signal failures where the failure permitted a train to go beyond where it was permitted had to be reported to the Railway Inspectorate. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. You can be a victim or you can be a survivor. Required fields are marked *. Still love you friends forever. Several victims of the Clapham Rail Disaster were pictured in the news the following day. Her mum Muriel said then: She was a very gregarious girl and had masses of friends.. Hi I visited my sister the night before because of this she decided not to take that train but our late friend Jane did. ributes have been paid to the 35 people killed in the Clapham Junction rail crash 30 years on from the tragedy. Clapham rail disaster: Memorial service held - BBC News Stay well. Transport Libraries Comments have been closed on this article. A number of my friends on that train were killed.". Former Mayor remembers grieving relatives. It remains the worst mainline train crash in terms of fatalities in the last 56 years. Roger Brown, 44, of Isle of Dogs, east London, a software engineer. "I still remember it like it was yesterday.". A total of 35 people died in the collision, while 484 were injured.[1]. 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. 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. 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. A charity named in her memory has since given 80,000 disabled people the chance to sail on Southampton Water. Moments later, an empty train heading away from London crashed into the wreckage. At 8.13am on 12 December 1988, three trains collided in south London in one of the UK's worst rail disasters. Ola Bratlie, a 26-year-old telecommunications engineer. As a result, the technician who carried out the work had done so on voluntary overtime. Links to more UK stories are at the foot of the page. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. As a result, British Rail were fined 250,000 although many believed the company shouldve been prosecuted for Corporate Manslaughter. Speaking at the memorial service today, he said: "I was one of the lucky ones. I think people felt we really did care.. Thank you, LondonCabbie! Please enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. It was only by sheer fortune that a fourth train managed to stop in time just yards from the carnage. 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. presidential election, Uranium particles enriched to 83.7% found in Iran, Pictures show devastation after Greece train disaster, Daily walk prevents one in 10 early deaths - study, Finland starts construction of Russia border fence, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over . Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. 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. His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. He still remembers people being thrown around the carriage like rag dolls. Clapham Junction is a major railway station in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Clapham's legacy After the crash, an inquiry led to a number of . [17] In particular, a wire count that would have identified that a wire had not been removed was not carried out. Are lessons from Clapham Junction disaster 'fading' from the rail sector? Is climate change killing Australian wine? The railway cutting through Wandsworth Common. [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. Railway historian Adrian Vaughan suggests this may not be the best way of handling faulty signals. View our online Press Pack. 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. 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. Today, a simple ceremony at 8.13am the time of the collision was due to remember them. The tragedy, on this day 33 years ago . If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to For the next forty minutes the train rattled along without incident. #claphamrailcrash hashtag on Twitter When the crash happened we were thrown down the train. "I still remember it like it was yesterday.". Survivors and relatives of the victims attended a service. He created the new human rights and equality commission in the province. [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. [30], The Basingstoke train stopped at the next signal after the faulty signal, in accordance with the rule book. Thank you so much for your kind words Susie. He had also performed the work during his 13th consecutive seven-day workweek. The Clapham Rail Crash Memorial at Spencer Park (image: Geograph). British Rail was eventually fined 250,000 for health and safety violations relating to the crash, which left a further 500 people injured. 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.. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can "I will never forget" - remembering the Clapham rail disaster 25 years