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". 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. That signal was still showing a yellow "proceed with caution" instead of a red "danger" light. As the train from Basingstoke was approaching Clapham Junction, the driver saw the signal ahead of him change from green ("proceed") to red ("danger"). [17] In particular, a wire count that would have identified that a wire had not been removed was not carried out. "A number of my friends on that train were killed.". TWENTY-five years ago this morning, 35 people lost their lives in one of the worst rail disasters of modern times. I was severely injured in the crash, trapped for 2 1/2 hours, lost a limb and had multiple other internal and external injuries. Hi I visited my sister the night before because of this she decided not to take that train but our late friend Jane did. As a result of the accident 35 people died and nearly 500 were injured, 69 of them seriously. Norway. A charity named in her memory has since given 80,000 disabled people the chance to sail on Southampton Water. A London-bound commuter train, travelling from Bournemouth, crashed into the back of another service near Clapham Junction. The first thing I saw was legs with jeans and shoes on. One, George Gillon, from London, said he was "one of the lucky ones". Please consider donating to help with our running costs. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. The Clapham Rail Crash Memorial at Spencer Park (image: Geograph). If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Monday December 1 Ms Cotton had only recently finished training as a firefighter when she was called to attend the "terrible and tragic" crash site. He was to celebrate 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. Please report any comments that break our rules. Overall 35 people were killed and hundreds more injured in what became known as the Clapham Rail Disaster. 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. Rip Jane. He stops to call the signal box from the trackside. I phoned his parents when I heard of the crash and they gave me the sad news that he had been on the train. Another un-named 14 year old held a trapped passenger upright in their twisted seat for several hours before they could be freed. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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.. Thank you for a such a respectful article. Diagram of the crash site printed in The Times newspaper shortly after the disaster (image: The Times). Ariel view of the crash site alongside Spencer Park, The young rescuers from the Emanuel School were praised by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and visited by the Secretary of State for Education who thanked them personally for Their immense courage and maturity.. Well, I wrote a much more detailed version, but it got deleted. This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Clapham Junction rail crash article. My sister should be a grandmother soon. Your email address will not be published. Management was to ensure that no one was working high levels of overtime,[20] and a senior project manager made responsible for all aspects of the project. He had also performed the work during his 13th consecutive seven-day workweek. She was described as "popular, loved by everyone". The silence was held at 08:13 GMT, the exact time the three-train collision happened close to Clapham Junction station in south London. The original document format was Paper, and comprised 250 pages. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. 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. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. He still remembers people being thrown around the carriage like rag dolls. With some 2,000 trains passing through it every day, Clapham Junction claims to be the busiest railway station in Europe. A third empty train later ran into the wreckage killing some passengers who had survived the first crash. Michael Newman, who my father knew personally, can be seen in the bottom right hand corner (image: The Times). He was married with two children. Derek Antonowitz, a 25-year-old South Africa-born computer consultant from Willesden [10] The last casualty was taken to hospital at 13:04 and the last body was removed at 15:45. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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. 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. However, approval was given in 1984 after a report of three wrong-side signal failures. south-east London. Matthew Macaulay, 26, an information technician from New Zealand living in Clapham, south London, identified by a tattoo on his back. His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. [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 Poole train then veered and hit an empty oncoming train. Is climate change killing Australian wine? I went to work the next day and burst out in tears as I was decorating the room. Under 100 characters, optional. The signalman immediately switched all the signals he could to 'danger', and signalled to the adjacent signal boxes he had an obstruction on the line. Matthew Macaulay, 26, an information technician from New Zealand living in Clapham, south London, identified by a tattoo on his back. Antonio Lacovara, a 24-year-old graphic designer from Hither Green, Over 400 people were also injured, 70 seriously, after three trains smashed into . We must always make sure that safety remains the number one priority on our railways. Excessive working hours, cancellation of route-proving trains and lack of detailed planning were identified as contributory factors to the incident. Contributions Simon Wood, 40, a project worker for a charity working with homeless children, of Liss, John Raisin, 61, of Painswick, Gloucestershire, a married recruitment consultant with grown-up children and grandchildren. https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/ News Stories [], This is an amazing piece of work. The clear up effort after the crash which claimed the lives of 35 people. Twenty-two of the people killed were from Dorset and the New Forest . It seemed like fate had intervened, because I had missed out on going to Clapham. Read about our approach to external linking. [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. ", 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. Impresario Harold Fielding said: Michael was the king of front of house design. Is climate change killing Australian wine? 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. The railway cutting through Wandsworth Common. 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. 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. On the day Mr Gillon, now 71, was travelling from Hampshire in the third carriage of the London-bound Bournemouth train. We held a reception in the Parlour and I think that was very much appreciated. I'll try my best to source most of it, most of which will be from Hidden's Report, which I believe Tagish said is okay. 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. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. 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 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. I enjoy your posts very much. He found many errors in the way British Rail worked at that time. It is approximately 2.71 miles from London Victoria station and around 3.93 miles from London. 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. In the months that followed, she visited victims in hospital, sat with grieving relatives and went to several different church services, including one at Winchester Cathedral attended by the Duchess of York and Margaret Thatcher. An independent inquiry into the crash was set up by the Department of Transport, chaired by Anthony Hidden QC. The very first person to enter the stricken carriages was Terry Stoppani whose birthday it happened to be that day. You just dont anticipate something like this happening on your own doorstep, it was one of those unbelievable moments. He had been on his way to new job in the City. 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.. No-one was hurt, but a report found mistakes made were similar to those which caused a fatal crash at Clapham Junction in 1988. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Clapham Junction rail distaster that killed 35 people, injured hundreds and . The Clapham Junction rail crash on 12 December 1988 claimed the lives of 35 people. 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. Survivors had to be cut out of the tangled carriages before being transferred to St Georges Hospital in Tooting. 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. Stay well. ", 27th September 1989Investigation into the Clapham Junction Railway Accident, 2nd March 1992A Report of the Collision that Occurred on 8 January 1991 at Cannon Street Station. can treat patients for minor ailments but for more complex problems the patient must be referred to a consultant. Many thanks for those kind words and for sharing your experience, much appreciated. 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. [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. Bill Webb, a 39-year-old accountant, died on an operating table after the accident. 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. The 'Hidden Report' into the causes of the collision south of Clapham Junction on December 12 1988, in which 35 people died. 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. He immediately snatched the phone back to alert the signal box and call for emergency services. When the crash happened we were thrown down the train. It remains the worst mainline train crash in terms of . Comments have been closed on this article. View our online Press Pack. Sunni Hah, 25, a recently qualified barrister who lived in London. 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. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. --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. Twenty-two of the people killed were from Dorset and the New Forest. 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. 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. Several victims of the Clapham Rail Disaster were pictured in the news the following day. The Bournemouth train ploughed into the Basingstoke service, killing John and many others instantly. He was from Gavdik in [] The late 1980s were notable for a relentless string of disasters which affected Britain; the Zeebrugge ferry capsize, the Kings Cross fire, the Piper Alpha oil platform explosion, the Hillsborough Disaster and, as seen recently on this site, the Clapham rail crash. Lee Middleton, then a 39-year-old father of two, had caught the train at Brockenhurst that morning. After being told there was nothing to worry about Alexander hung upbut as he did so a second train- this one heading up from Bournemouth- roared around the corner at approximately 50mph. His eventual report included 93 recommendations, for changes to the working practices of both British Rail and the emergency services.[13]. 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. Railway historian Adrian Vaughan suggests this may not be the best way of handling faulty signals. Between 100 and 180 trains use the station every hour, except between midnight and 5am. A special service has taken place to remember the victims of the Clapham rail disaster 25 years ago today. The report made 93 safety recommendations and the government pledged to implement them. He had lived with his girlfriend for 10 years. His mistakes had allowed a signal to remain at green when the Basingstoke train had stopped just beyond it. 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. Still love you friends forever. In that incident, a pair of redundant points had been left in an unsafe condition and undetectable by the signalling system. Married caretaker Robert Cotton, 41, of Rednock School, Dursley, Gloucestershire, who also worked as a local councillor. Another 415 sustained minor injuries. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Clapham Junction is a major railway station in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. 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.. "However, we must never become complacent. He was recently married and his first child was born two months ago. Clapham Junction is a major railway station in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is also the busiest station in the UK for interchanges between services. Each email has a link to unsubscribe. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Only trained members of the Signal Engineers could carry out signalling alterations and a new system of grading was implemented such that a new junior technician could not carry out or manage a complex scheme). Survivors and families paid their respects to the dead and almost 500 injured people at a church service.
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