eltham well hall train crash

Pictures by my father, Reg Godsave. The rear of the coach had been somewhat damaged by the fifth, sixth and seventh coaches passing by it, derailed but still on the track. The latter had a twelve-chain radius, curving sharply to the right after Well Hall station for the 1 in 75 descent towards Kidbrooke, and had a permanent speed restriction of 20 MPH. A medical expert stated that during the time given, 5 pints of bitter, a third of a bottle of sherry and a quarter bottle of spirits would "just about achieve" the levels found, providing that "the bulk of the spirits was drunk between 20:15 and 21:30". For this case study, the available worldwide railway accident data are analysed in order to build taxonomy. In future, train crew would have to book in by telephone or report to a supervisor who could visibly look for signs of unfitness for duty. Pin on Eltham It was added to the Archive on 23rd March 2006. The journey was normal until the train stopped for signals at Rainham, whereafter the driver made an unscheduled stop in the station to telephone the signalman and ask about another excursion train that they were due to pass some distance ahead. Another steam-era system to go was the mechanical signalling, semaphores and the cabin going out of use on 14th March 1970, when four-aspect colour lights, controlled from a temporary panel at St Johns, came into use. In contrast, Stokes claimed that Wilsdon mentioned drinking some sherry when they met at Ramsgate. A third smashed bottle found was later proven to have been a medicine bottle and was unlikely to have carried any alcohol at the time of the accident. instance of. It came to a stand laying parallel with the locomotive, having jack-knifed and pushed slightly around so the leading cab was facing back towards the line and the rear cab was pointing away from the track. The front of the cab was torn open and debris thrown and 'ploughed' inside, killing Wilsdon and severely injuring Stokes. The derailed train came to a halt very close to an electrical sub-station powering the third-rail for electric multiple unit trains and this had immediately short-circuited. Wilsdon was not due to be on duty until the afternoon and had gone to a pub at lunchtime with his brothers who said he spent the afternoon at home. By contrast to this, secondman Stokes arrived at Hither Green, signed on duty in person at around 15:12 and was instructed by the Supervisor to travel on the 15:32 train and try to meet Wilsdon on the train. In the meantime, the Bexleyheath, Dartford Loop, and North Kent Lines were electrified using the SRs favoured 660-Volts DC third rail system. Contents Background The journey The accident Investigation Recommendations References An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. On Sunday 11th June 1972 at 21:36, disaster struck. Investigating this theory, the morning after the accident, the cab was searched and three smashed glasses were found in the cab's wreckage. The locomotive jumped the sharp curve, derailing and rolling onto its left side and sliding through a coal yard. Stokes was unable to recall much of what occurred at Margate and Wilsdon died, so it was uncertain as to what had occurred during this period, and although a pub was close to the station, it was considered that they did not have enough time to reach it. 2 ELTHAM WELL HALL RAIL CRASH Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images He immediately tried to signal to the driver to stop but was unable to gain Wilsdon's attention. The rear end of the first coach came to rest up against the leading cab. The 1969 incident also showed Wilsdon's disregard of what had occurred in 1961 but it was agreed that the manager at the time had been unwise in waiting two months to question Wilsdon, but had acted appropriately when he did. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. The Inspecting Officer, Colonel J.R.H. Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972 Accident Summary and 2 more images Location Eltham Well Hall Train Operator British Railways (Southern Region) Primary Cause Excessive speed Secondary Cause Driver intoxicated Result Derailment 6 fatalities, 126 injured Accident Investigation Status It seems these splashes were too late and light to register in the cab. Wilsdon and Stokes were to sign on duty at Hither Green in person by 15:42 to catch a train as passengers to Ramsgate, transferring at Dartford. He was not suspended for this incident owing to the fact that his superior at Hither Green was busy and then went on leave and as such was not able to speak with Wilsdon until June. Although Robertson could not confirm Stokes' statements, he considered it likely that Wilsdon had drunk after 14:02 owing to the smell on Wilsdon's breath at Rainham several hours later and, whilst not explicitly accusing Wilsdon's brothers of lying, considered that anybody who tried to hide evidence of Wilsdon's drinking that day "did him a disservice". An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. East London Train Station Vintage Photos City Photo Autos A major rail crash happened at Well Hall on Sunday evening 11 June 1972. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. According to them, the three returned home and spent the afternoon indoors with the children until Robert was driven by one of his brothers to Rainham station at around 17:15. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. All witnesses who saw the driver including the guard, the station staff at both Rainham and Margate, and the depot staff at Ramsgate, observed no signs of intoxication. The second and third coach followed the first coach until relatively late into the derailment, with the coupling between the first and second failing around the end of the derailment. 1630 (latterly Class 47 No. He was thoroughly critical of Wilsdon's behaviour, describing it as "reprehensible" and "disgraceful". More significant was the opening of "Shooters Hill & Eltham Park" station, a mere 41-chains to the east of Well Hall. Guard Atterbury, who arrived at Ramsgate some hours earlier and had been relaxing in the staff break room of the station, had gone to prepare the train for its departure at around 19:30 and initially noted that the engine crew were absent. This item is linked to the Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972. The second uncertain moment was what occurred to both him and Stokes during the stop at Margate, in which both seemingly left the station via the Platform No.1 entrance. He immediately tried to signal to the driver to stop but was unable to gain Wilsdon's attention. Despite this, Wilsdon suggested the pair go to the nearby Railway Staff Association Club at about 19:00 and get a drink to which Stokes agreed, with the pair arriving just in time for the club to open at 19:05. The train passed through at high speed without braking and sped into the curve at around 65mph. He made recommendations that booking-on of drivers by telephone should be controlled carefully, but did not recommend any changes to warnings of permanent speed restrictions. All three acquired a new main building, replacing the SER timber structures on their up platforms. Electric services ran again from 6th June 1926, and the full suburban electric timetable through to Dartford commenced on 19th July 1926. Shortly afterwards, a freight train collided heavily with the wreckage, killing the drivers of both locomotives. A public inquiry carried out into the cause of the accident was launched on 12 June 1972 by Colonel John R.H. Robertson that looked into the cause of the derailment. The next five coaches were derailed but the 10th, in which the guard was riding, was not. An ambulance was seen landing at the scene and police are also in attendance. This evidence contradicts that of Wilsdon's brothers who claimed that he had not drunk between 14:02 and 17:15. 6635 documents9207 accidentsUpdated 24th Apr. injuries= 126The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. Credits Wilsdon did not meet with the supervisor at Ramsgate, likely owing to the fact that his was the only Class 47 engine at the depot and would have been easy to find. Pinterest. By the time the train approached Eltham Well Hall station it was running at around 65mph. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that Wilsdon had been intoxicated by alcohol. Guard Atterbury was not criticised whatsoever for his behaviour and it was considered unfortunate that his "splashes" were too weak to gain Wilsdon's attention. Eltham Well Hall rail crash - Unionpedia, the concept map Approaching Eltham Park he became so concerned at the speed that he made two quick applications of the vacuum brake to try to draw the driver's attention, but before he could get a reaction it was too late. The empty train left Ramsgate and made an uneventful journey to Margate, arriving at around 19:59. British Rail Class 47 - Incidents Please note that the Railways Archive is not responsible for the content of external websites. Secondman Stokes, who agreed with Wilsdon to get some extra drinks at Ramsgate was severely criticised for his "disgraceful" behaviour in drinking three pints prior to taking the train back to Margate, but it was agreed that Stokes' young age and weak character meant that he seemed unwilling to stop Wilsdon from going to get some drink. His suspension in 1961 was considered a warning sign of Wilsdon's alcoholic tendencies but it was agreed that at the time there was no evidence to disprove Wilsdon's statements that he would better himself and not drink again. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. Well Hall Road had accommodated a tramway route until July 1952, when all such services within London were withdrawn. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that the driver had been intoxicated by alcohol. Trying to gain Wilsdon's attention, he made two light applications ("splashes") of the guard's brake. Report on the Derailment that occurred on 11th June 1972 at Eltham (Well Hall) Station in the Southern Region British Railways Document Summary The report into the derailment at Eltham in 1972, caused by the intoxicated driver taking a sharp curve at excessive speed. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. Well Hall, Eltham, train crash, 1972: an injured train driver being Eltham Well Hall Rail Crash 1972 | Train crash, Places to - Pinterest He used the correct telephone and spoke quite clearly and was not at all slurred according to both Fleming and Obee. The second incident occurred on 28 March 1969, when Wilsdon was fined 1 for being drunk in Lewisham. Please consider donating to help with our running costs. United Kingdom. Shortly thereafter, Wilsdon and Stokes returned and entered the cab preparing for departure, with neither seeming unusual: when Arundell told them to hurry up, Wilsdon calmly noted they could regain lost time on the journey. By the time the train approached Eltham Well Hall station it was running at around 65 miles per hour (105km/h). The first occurred on 7 November 1961, when Wilsdon had been charged 150 for being Drunk and disorderly, causing damage to a shop window and assaulting a Police constable whilst off-duty. Links In reality, Wilsdon did not leave for Rainham station until 17:15 and as such his move was solely to gain pay for an extra two hours for which he had not actually been on duty. Both men were subsequently suspended shortly afterwards, against which Wilsdon immediately appealed, claiming that the event was an isolated incident. At 15:22 Wilsdon signed on duty with Hither Green by telephone. The SR also re-faced the platform sides with prefabricated concrete supplied by their factory at Exmouth Junction, Devon. Upon completing his phone conversation, Wilsdon returned to his cab and departed having been stopped at Rainham for about four minutes. Having been in operation for ninety years, today there is no trace of this station having ever existed, the site having fallen foul to a road widening scheme. This travel time and distance between Rainham and Hither Green played a key role in the accident that occurred.[2]. Compliments. Both Wilsdon and his colleague were reinstated on 18 December 1961, with Wilsdon being promoted to driver less than a week later on 25 December with his transfer to Hither Green. A ten-coach excursion train, the 20.05 Margate to Kentish Town, hauled by Brush Type 4 No. [1] [2] In the past Well Hall was the grounds of a manor house, and then a hamlet. Links Transport Libraries This document was published on 1st June 1973 by Department of the Environment. D1671 was withdrawn some four months later. D1677. Despite this, Wilsdon suggested the pair go to the nearby Railway Staff Association Club at about 19:00 and get a drink to which Stokes agreed, with the pair arriving just in time for the club to open at 19:05. He had worked with Wilsdon occasionally before and had driven with him a few times prior. Whilst it was agreed that it was a fairly common occurrence in the Southern Region and British Rail had adopted a policy where certain drivers could be granted need to book on via telephone (typically those either living far from depots or those whose duties commenced far from their depots). Eltham Well Hall rail crash Wiki - everipedia.org He had been working on the railways since 1958 and was experienced to drive the British Rail Class 47 locomotive, which would occasionally come down from trains in other regions. Eltham station - Tickets & Information | Grand Central This seaside excursion train derailed on a bend outside Well Hall station, Eltham, South London on June 11th, 1972 killing at least 4 people and. Most Wanted Credits 6635 documents9207 accidentsUpdated 24th Apr. Date: 1972 Reference: 778393i Pictures About this work Publication/Creation [London] : Press Association, 1972. 125 passengers were injured.[2]. The locomotive jumped the sharp curve, derailing and rolling onto its left side and sliding through a coal yard. Both were severely damaged. The rear end of the first coach came to rest up against the leading cab. There was an imbalance with the urine alcohol level which made it very likely that the driver had also been drinking alcohol at the controls. The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. June 11, 1972. RSS Feeds This travel time and distance between Rainham and Hither Green played a key role in the accident that occurred.[2]. As he did not need to be on duty until the afternoon, Wilsdon joined his two brothers for lunch at around 12:55, the three travelling to a local pub where they stayed until closing time just after 14:00. That day the Harrow Observer reported the horrific accident and 66 years later, getwestlondon pays tribute to the victims. Owing to the large number of day-trippers booked for this customary annual works-outing, a pair of excursion trains were laid on to transport them to Margate and back. An Inter-City express ran into a freight train carrying 30,000 gallons of fuel oil, after the . The secondman may not have been attentive because he had also been drinking, but he did not know the route and would not have realised that the driver was not braking for the curve when he should have been. Well Hall is a place to the north of Eltham in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in southeast London, England, with no present formal boundaries and located 13.5 km (8.4 mi) east-southeast of Charing Cross. Railman Akehurst, who was on duty on the Well Hall platforms, had seen several earlier trains pass through the station and thence the curve, all of them slowing to the safe speed of 20 miles per hour (32km/h) but when he saw the excursion train approaching, he was quite certain it was traveling far beyond that speed. SYND 12-6-72 AFTERMATH OF ELTHAM TRAIN CRASH AP Archive 4.73M subscribers Subscribe 6 Share Save 2.5K views 7 years ago (11 Jun 1972) The aftermath scenes of a derailment of a excursion. The pair had three pints of light and bitter each with Wilsdon possibly drinking another half pint of light ale, according to the evidence of club staff who served him. The train arrived at Margate and the entrainment of passengers was routine, with boarding complete by 20:04. Shortly after leaving Rainham, Atterbury noted that the speed seemed "a little bit excessive" and that Wilsdon had been braking intensely between Gillingham and Chatham railway station. The station comprised a hybrid of structures: a main building from 1931, a waiting shelter from 1895, and a footbridge from about 1907. David Glasspool Collection. He had been working on the railways since 1958 and was experienced to drive the British Rail Class 47 locomotive, which would occasionally come down from trains in other regions. The actor Phil Daniels, star of Quadrophenia, Scum, and later EastEnders was aboard one of the derailed coaches with his parents after a day trip. The guard told the inquiry that after leaving Rainham he had noticed that the train's speed has been "a little bit excessive" and that the driver braked intensely between Gillingham and Chatham. The incident resulted in four fatalities on site, including the driver, with two further passengers dying of their injuries months later. While they chatted the secondman 'smelt something pretty strong' on the driver's breath and when questioned about it, he replied that he had "had some beer at dinner time" and had "ended up going somewhere and drinking some sherry". The inquiry hypothesized that the driver had taken spirits into the cab with him, having collected them during his unexplained absence before leaving Margate. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. Pictures by my father, Reg Godsave. Six lives were lost including the driver, and 126 people were injured. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. The train passed through at high speed without braking and sped into the curve at around 65 miles per hour (105km/h). Lessons learned from Cannon Street crash - Rail It will be noticed on those structures which still survive at Bexleyheath and Welling that their wider, 25-foot portions also demonstrate a higher hipped roof section. Further modernisation was the order of the day in 1931, when stations at Bexleyheath, Welling, and Eltham (Well Hall) were rebuilt. All three of these coaches were leaning over on their left sides to various degrees, with the leading end of the fifth coach having been badly damaged by the impact with the fourth coach. Arundell believed that they were a gift left by the organisers of the excursion to the engine crew - such being a normal 'tip' for excursion drivers to enjoy off-duty - and he did not question their appearance. These trains would be driven by Southern Region drivers for some of the journey (particularly to ensure that experienced drivers took the trains through the complex arrangements around Clapham Junction) and would, on reaching Margate and being cleared of passengers, take them onward to Ramsgate Depot where they would be stored until the return trip. The crash happened at around 3.30pm today (May 23). His colleague was similarly promoted but resigned in early 1963 after a series of reprimands and suspensions. After arrival at Margate, the train was stabled at Ramsgate. The layout was controlled from a signal box positioned beyond the London end of the "down" platform; this was the product of contractor "McKenzie & Holland", which signalled the Bexleyheath Line. While they chatted the secondman 'smelt something pretty strong' on the driver's breath and when questioned about it, he replied that he had "had some beer at dinner time" and had "ended up going somewhere and drinking some sherry". When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 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. Eltham Well Hall rail crash - YouTube The driver of the Excursion train was Robert Wilsdon, a Driver for British Rail's Southern Region based at Hither Green TMD since December 1961. Attached to the building was an arched-roof platform canopy with clover-patterned valance, a style which is still evident today at Paddock Wood. A combination of the signal checks at Sittingbourne and Rainham and the unscheduled stop at Rainham had caused Wilsdon to lose most of the progress he had made between Margate and Sittingbourne. Eltham Well Hall Rail Crash. June 11, 1972. Pictures by my - Pinterest Robertson, concluded that the driver Robert Wilsdon had "grossly impaired his ability to drive safely by drinking a considerable quantity of alcohol both before and after booking on duty, including some shortly before leaving Margate and some more in his cab during the journey.". According to his notes, the train passed through Bexleyheath at 21:31, seven minutes behind schedule (estimates showed that Wilsdon had made up at least a minute and a half between Gillingham and Strood) and was running on clear signals.[2]. He later commented to Stokes a joking complaint about the driver of the first excursion train, calling him a "slow bastard". The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. At no point did Wilsdon even attempt to slow his train beyond having already shut off the engine to coast which was normal at this long downhill sector of the line. A concrete-lined cutting accommodating a dual-carriageway was envisaged, this of which would run parallel with the Bexleyheath Line for about a mile in the vicinity of Eltham, before passing under the railway at Well Hall. [1] Again, he was off-duty at the time and British Rail was not informed of this occurrence until April. I am a dreamer who dreams of a world full of From the evidence gained of Wilsdon's activities on 11 June, a fairly thorough timeline of Wilsdon's movements were tracked and confirmed by those who he made contact with but three moments of uncertainty were later found in Wilsdon's movements that day. Robertson . An excursion train from. When Arundell went to examine the cab, he found it empty but after returning shortly afterwards, saw a pair of beer bottles in the cab. +44 (0)20 7611 2222info@wellcomecollection.org, Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence, 1 photograph : photoprint ; sheet 15.3 x 20.2 cm, Injured in excursion disaster. Further Reading Semi-detached London: Suburban Development, Life and Transport, 1900-39. By 1972 he was married with young children and living in Rainham, Kent - which meant he would usually have to make an almost two hour rail commute to his depot at Hither Green. Both Wilsdon and his colleague were reinstated on 18 December 1961, with Wilsdon being promoted to driver less than a week later on 25 December with his transfer to Hither Green. Temporary public electric workings operated down all three routes between 10th and 16th May 1926 inclusive, as a result of the General Strike, steam-hauled passenger trains briefly resuming afterwards. The crew left the cab for a few minutes and as a result the train departed from Margate eight minutes late. The adequacy of the taxonomy is discussed with regards to the socio-technical context of accident reports. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. There was an imbalance with the urine alcohol level which made it very likely that the driver had also been drinking alcohol within an hour of his death, meaning it was possible he had been drinking at the controls. His suspension in 1961 was considered a warning sign of Wilsdon's alcoholic tendencies but it was agreed that at the time there was no evidence to disprove Wilsdon's statements that he would better himself and not drink again. Emergency services were notified, and arrived between 21:40 and 21:42. 2004 - 2023 railwaysarchive.co.uk - all rights reserved. He claimed that he was going to head directly to Ramsgate from Rainham and said that he had to catch an earlier train from Rainham (the 15:32 instead of the 15:42, which was not running on Sundays) and therefore asked Hither Green if he could be considered on-duty from 15:12. Press Association. More like this London History Local History Family History Eltham Palace London Family The Tudor Boy George Lido Abandoned swimming pools A A.M.C.O. In that year, the Greater London Council (GLC) published proposals for the "Rochester Way Relief Road", today known as the "A2". Before he could go ask superiors as to where they were, he saw Stokes and Wilsdon return. Shortly thereafter, Wilsdon and Stokes returned and entered the cab preparing for departure, with neither seeming unusual: when Arundell told them to hurry up, Wilsdon calmly noted they could regain lost time on the journey. The outbound journeys left Kentish Town around 0830, were completed uneventfully and the trains stabled at Ramsgate as planned. Eltham Well Hall rail crash - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core The structure sat at milepost 9 from Charing Cross. The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. "The train was the diesel-hauled 20.05 Margate to Kentish Town excursion train and it comprised ten coaches, well filled with passengers returning from a day's outing at Margate. He was thoroughly critical of Wilsdon's behaviour, describing it as "reprehensible" and "disgraceful". When Stokes boarded the engine, he waited alone in the cab until around 18:25 when Wilsdon arrived and spoke about the preparations for the journey back to London. . Despite his experience and long time working on the railways, Wilsdon had been reprimanded five times throughout his career. The only other theory was that Wilsdon had obtained a bottle of spirits at some point, stored it on his person and had drunk it at some point after leaving Margate, and later disposed of the glass by throwing it out the window of the locomotive, with the theory being that Wilsdon either obtained the bottle at some point whilst in Margate or had kept one on his person since he left Rainham for work. Eltham Well Hall is seen in this Dartford-bound view less than a year before closure. Approaching Eltham Park he became so concerned at the speed that he made two quick applications of the vacuum brake to try to draw the driver's attention, but before he could get a reaction it was too late. Stationmaster Arundell signalled the train clear to depart for London, but both he and Atterbury found that there was no response in the cab. Ultimately, the later station was intended as a replacement for Well Hall, allowing the SE&CR to close the original site, but legal problems prevented this, as noted in 1973 by Alan A. Jackson in Semi-detached London: Suburban Development, Life and Transport, 1900-39: "The railway company, ever anxious to turn the odd penny, had planned to close [Well Hall] until they discovered they were under a statutory obligation to keep it open and so did not rate their chances of overcoming the opposition very highly.". He later commented to Stokes a joking complaint about the driver of the first excursion train, calling him a "slow bastard". David Glasspool Collection, The main building on the "up" side was a carbon copy of the structure which still exists today at Bexleyheath. The mansion was demolished in 1733, save for a barn, and replaced by a smaller property located outside of the moat. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that the driver had been intoxicated by alcohol. Places time Forgot London Bus East London London Areas Old Well Hall Bus Station 1970's J Michele Janes Eltham History

Used Savage 8042 Pecan Harvester For Sale, Brandon Davis Country Singer Bio, John Fredericks Radio Show, Clase Azul Breast Cancer 2021, Articles E