Newton rail crash

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On July 21st, 1991 two local commuter trains crashed just outside Newton station to the south east Glasgow, Scotland.

At 9.45pm, a Cathcart Circle service operated by a Class 303 train left the "down" platform of Newton station forming a Newton-Glasgow service. Meanwhile, a Class 314 unit forming a Balloch-Motherwell service on the Argyle Line was crossing from the fast West Coast Main Line tracks through a single lead junction to enter the "up" platform of Newton. The two trains collided head on at the junction, killing both drivers and two passengers. 22 others were injured.

The accident was attributed to the single lead junction, something which had already been demonstrated at the Bellgrove crash in Glasgow just over a year earlier. The arrangement was designed to be simpler than the double lead junction that it replaced, and also allowed faster running on the WCML tracks, but was less inherently safe. The configuration adopted for this particular junction was unnecessarily constrained and was strongly criticised by contemporary commentators (Hall 1999), and was altered immediately afterwards.

Following the accident the junction was closed, resulting in a special timetable being put in place for several months whilst the track layout was revised, to provide double track line from the platforms towards Kirkhill. Diversions included West Coast Main Line trains being diverted via Whifflet with electric trains being hauled by diesel locomotives to Mossend Yard, East Coast Main Line trains were terminated at Edinburgh Waverley and Lanark and Motherwell trains being diverted along the North Clyde Line taking the Whifflet link line immediately to the west of Coatbridge Sunnyside.

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