| Ditton Junction rail crash | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Date | 17 September 1912 |
| Location | Ditton Junction |
| Country | England |
| Rail line | London and North Western Railway |
| Cause | Driver misread signals |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Deaths | 15 |
| List of UK rail accidents by year | |
Ditton Junction is on the London and North Western Railway near Widnes. A complex junction it had no less than eight running lines with associated signal gantries. On 17 September 1912 the 17:30 Chester to Liverpool express was signalled to cross from the fast to the slow line, but the driver who had little experience of the junction had never been switched here before, misread the signals and thought he had a clear run through. The crossover had a speed limit of 15 mph but the train hit it at 60 mph. The locomotive, a 2-4-0 of the Precedent class turned on its side and travelled some distance, striking the pier of an overbridge (partially demolishing it) and broke in two. The six carriages following ploughed over the engine and were all destroyed - forming a heap of wreckage between the station platforms. Punctured gaslighting cylinders ignited, turning the scene into an inferno. Driver, fireman and 13 passengers were killed.
Blame was attributed to the driver for not applying for a pilot at Chester. The confusing signalling at the junction was also criticized.