| Lichfield rail crash | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Date | 1 January 1946 |
| Location | Lichfield Trent Valley railway station |
| Country | England |
| Rail line | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| Cause | Points failure |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Deaths | 20 |
| Injuries | 21 |
| List of UK rail accidents by year | |
On New Year's Day 1946 Lichfield Trent Valley station in Staffordshire, England was the site of a rail crash in which 20 people were killed. The disaster was caused by a points failure which routed the 14:50 fish express from Fleetwood to London Broad Street consisting of seven four-wheel fish vans and a brake van hauled by a Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 travelling at over 55 mph into the back of a four-car passenger train which was waiting at the station on the passing loop. The passenger train consisted of old wooden-bodied coaches dating from 1912, and the rear 3 coaches were virtually demolished and the engine (a LNWR Prince of Wales Class 4-6-0) was hurled forwards 90 yards.[1]