Stechford rail crash

The Stechford rail crash occurred on 28 February 1967 at Stechford railway station in the area of Stechford in Birmingham, England.[1]

Stechford rail crash
Details
Date28 February 1967
15:42
LocationStechford, Birmingham
CountryEngland
LineRugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line
CauseShunting error
Statistics
Trains2
Passengers~40
Deaths9
Injured16
List of UK rail accidents by year

A Class 24 diesel locomotive had arrived at Stechford sidings with a ballast train. This was due to return to Nuneaton and so the locomotive needed to be run round the train. There were too many wagons for the runaround loop to be used, so the Head Shunter decided to run the locomotive around via the main line. This was a movement that was only to be made in an emergency, and even then only with permission from the signalman at Birmingham New Street signal box.[2]

The Head Shunter did not seek such permission and when his hand signal for the guard was misunderstood by the secondman, the locomotive moved on to the main line just as a Manchester-Coventry four-carriage Class 304 electric unit no.026 was approaching. It collided with the locomotive at about 60 mph, killing the driver and eight passengers. In addition, 16 people were injured.[3]

References
  1. Pithie 2017, p. 22.
  2. McMullen 1968, p. 3.
  3. Pithie 2017, pp. 23–26.

Sources
  • McMullen, D (1968). Railway accident, report on the collision that occurred on 28 February 1967 at Stechford in the London Midland Region British Railways (PDF) (Report). London: Ministry of Transport. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  • Pithie, Fraser (February 2017). "Fatal Signals at Stechford". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 163 no. 1, 391. Horncastle: Mortons Media. ISSN 0033-8923.

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