Dagenham East rail crash

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dagenham East rail crash
Location on map of Greater London
Details
Date and time: 30 January 1958 19:34
Location: Dagenham East
Rail line: LT&SR (BR Eastern Region)
Cause: Signal passed at danger
Statistics
Trains: 2
Passengers: ~1,000
Deaths: 10
Injuries: 89
List of UK rail accidents by year

The Dagenham East rail crash was a railway accident on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line of British Railways which occurred at Dagenham, United Kingdom. The accident took place at around 19:34 on 30 January 1958 and was a rear-end collision of two late-running trains in foggy conditions at Dagenham East station. The accident occurred after one train had passed signals at danger due to a driver's error. Ten people were killed in the accident and 89 injured.

The trains involved were the 18:20 Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness and the 18:35 Fenchurch Street to Thorpe Bay. Both trains were steam hauled and consisted of 11 coaches, carrying approximately 500 passengers each. The 18:35 train ploughed into the back of the 18:20 departure which demolished three carriages and derailed several others. The locomotive of the 18:35 train and leading carriage were derailed. Some wreckage blocked the adjacent London Underground line but did not cause any further accidents.

One of the locomotives involved in this accident (80079) survives today at the Severn Valley Railway

[edit] References


Rail accidents in the United Kingdom | Rail accidents in London

Barnes | Bexley | Cannon Street | Clapham Junction | Dagenham East | Ealing | Eltham Well Hall | Forest Gate | Harrow and Wealdstone | Hither Green | Holborn | Ladbroke Grove | Lewisham | Moorgate | Purley | Southall | South Croydon | Spa Road