Thorpe rail accident

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The Thorpe rail accident occurred on 10 September 1874, when two trains were in head-on collision at Thorpe St Andrew^[1].

The accident occurred on what was then a single-track rail line between Norwich railway station and Brundall. The two trains involved were the 08.40h mail train from Yarmouth and the 1700h express train from London to Yarmouth. The latter had left Norwich Thorpe at 21.30 and would normally have had a clear run on its way to Yarmouth, since the mail train should have been held on a loop line at Brundall to allow the express to pass. On this occasion trains were running late.

In such circumstances, when the timetable was upset, drivers had to have written authority to proceed further. Due to a series of errors, both drivers received their authority, and the drivers, both anxious to make up for lost time, set off at speed along the single track. The accident, when it occurred at around 2145h, resulted in both locomotives rearing into the air, and carriages reduced to wreckage.

Both drivers and firemen were killed instantly, as were 21 others. More than 100 passengers were hurt.