Wennington Junction rail crash

Just west of Wennington railway station lies Wennington junction where the Furness and Midland Joint Railway leaves the Leeds to Morecambe section of the Midland Railway. On 11 August 1880 the 12:15 Leeds to Lancaster train completely derailed at the junction points then continued for 166 yards (152 m) before striking the abutment of a bridge.

Wennington Junction rail crash
View of the location (2007). The junction was situated at the end of the cutting.
Details
Date	11 August 1880
Location	Wennington, Lancashire
Coordinates	54.123°N 2.590°W
Country	England
Line	Leeds to Morecambe Line
Cause	Excessive speed over junction
Statistics
Trains	1
Deaths	8
Injured	23
List of UK rail accidents by year

The junction had no super-elevation as continuous crossing timbers were in use thus reducing the safe speed, and the Midland Railway were advised to correct this. But the enquiry also found the braking power of the train to be grossly inadequate; the train should have been able to stop before reaching the bridge. Only the locomotive was fitted with a Westinghouse brake and there was only one brake van on the train. Although the Midland Railway was fitting continuous brakes to its passenger trains the enquiry pointed out that such a recommendation had been made twenty years previously and the actions had still not been completed.

Sources

• Rolt, L.T.C.; Kichenside, Geoffrey (1982) [1955]. Red for Danger (4th ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. pp. 164–165. ISBN 0-7153-8362-0.

External links

• Board of Trade report transcription