I met all these people who were involved or affected in different ways and I decided I was going to have them all to the Mayors Parlour in the New Year. I am lucky to be alive, it was that close, he says. Alison had moved to London three years previously and was travelling back from Southampton after a sailing weekend with her boyfriend. New wiring had recently been installed, but the old wiring remained connected at one end and loose at the other. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. The 30th Anniversary of the Clapham Rail Disaster At 11:00 on Wednesday, Ms Cotton joined survivors and families as well as the London mayor Sadiq Khan, the Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, and rail industry representatives to lay wreaths and hold a minute's silence at a memorial to victims in Spencer Park, Battersea, followed by a service at St Mark's church. A London-bound commuter train, travelling from Bournemouth, crashed into the back of another service near Clapham Junction. An independent inquiry into the crash was set up by the Department of Transport, chaired by Anthony Hidden QC. Survivors attended a service at the crash memorial site near the scene of the accident, which took place on 12 December 1988. RSS Feeds Chartered accountant George Gillon, 71, was in the third carriage of the London-bound Bournemouth train when the accident happened. Heck, just above both mine and your Posts, you can see that I asked if somebody would have been kind enough to source it, but by the time I checked again, it was all removed, and I do understand that quite a bit of it WAS useless. It remains the worst mainline train crash in terms of fatalities in the last 56 years. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. With some 2,000 trains passing through it every day, Clapham Junction claims to be the busiest railway station in Europe. Seven weeks after the tragedy, a memorial service at Winchester Cathedral was attended by the Duchess of York, as well as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and opposition leader Neil Kinnock. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. Read about our approach to external linking. John Raisin, 61, of Painswick, Gloucestershire, a married recruitment consultant with grown-up children and grandchildren. As a pupil at Emaunuel School (In the same class as Terry) I will never forget the scene, walking up the long school drive with some of the victims of this tragic event. Although this Accident was a rather major incident on British Railways, the Wikipedia Article of which is rather lacking in the details given by Hidden's Report. He lived with his fiancee in Fulham, south-west London. The crash, just south of Clapham Junction station, killed 35 people and left almost 500 injured. Charlotte Lund Andersen, 32, an international products manager from Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the US, who was living in Shrewsbury Mews, West London, was identified from her clothing and jewellery, said Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. I always say a prayer and light a candle for the other commuters that day and to the families of all those who lost their lives.. British Rail was fined 250,000 for violations of health and safety law over the crash which has been described as the worst train accident of recent times. Further Research Rail industry 'forgetting lessons' of Clapham disaster - BBC News Ms Robinson went on to join Disaster Action to help other people affected by tragedies like the one she experienced. Clapham train crash On 12 December 1988 the 07:18 from Basingstoke to London Waterloo was approaching Clapham Junction when the driver saw the signal. (Getty Images) At 8.13am on 12 December 1988, three trains collided in south London in one of the UK's worst rail disasters. [10] The last casualty was taken to hospital at 13:04 and the last body was removed at 15:45. For the next forty minutes the train rattled along without incident. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? His family described him as "a real gentleman, a kind and loving family man". Another 415 sustained minor injuries. As a result, British Rail were fined 250,000 although many believed the company shouldve been prosecuted for Corporate Manslaughter. A third train, carrying no passengers and comprising 4VEP units 3004 and 3425, was passing on the adjacent line in the other direction and collided with the wreckage immediately after the initial impact. Lee Middleton, then a 39-year-old father of two, had caught the train at Brockenhurst that morning. Bournemouth East MP David Atkinson, British Rail chairman Robert Reid and Bournemouth mayor Cllr Jacky Harris were among those paying their respects. "It was something you never forget," he said. 6635 documents9207 accidentsUpdated 24th Apr, On This Day in History - 1859: The Royal Albert Bridge across the river Tamar, designed and built by Brunel, opens. There was a public inquiry chaired by Lord Justice Hidden. Sunday December 11 It seemed like fate had intervened, because I had missed out on going to Clapham. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Talk:Clapham Junction rail crash - Wikipedia [33], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}512726N 01028W / 51.4571N 0.1744W / 51.4571; -0.1744, View of the crash site and clean up operations following the accident, Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, "On This Day, 12 December 1988: 35 dead in Clapham rail collision", "Changes in Working Hours Safety Critical Work", "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)", "Legislating the Criminal Code: Involuntary Manslaughter", "Serious irregularity at Cardiff East Junction 29 December 2016", "Collision at London Waterloo 15 August 2017", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clapham_Junction_rail_crash&oldid=1132102074, This page was last edited on 7 January 2023, at 07:37. "I still remember it like it was yesterday.". 30 years ago, just before 7.20am on the chilly morning of Monday December 12th 1988, the characteristic sound of doors slamming shut on an old-style British Rail train echoed along the platform at Basingstoke station as hundreds of commuters crammed into a service bound for LondonWaterloo. Faulty wiring and an incorrect signal caused the 1988 crash at Clapham Junction, It took hours for firefighters and medics to free trapped people and recover bodies, Marilyn Robinson was on her way from Basingstoke to a course in London when her train was struck, The Met's Cressida Dick, London mayor Sadiq Khan and LFB's Dany Cotton each laid a wreath at a memorial in Spencer Park, Battersea, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/ It also recommended that automatic train protection (ATP) be installed across the UK rail network. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Why we sold our north London house to rent near Woking for more than our mortgage, South east London criminals jailed in April including rapist, flasher and murderer, Bromley classic car fanatic could be forced to sell collection due to ULEZ plans, Anita Rani hopes coronation coverage brings human moments and unknown quantity, Alan Carr to be part of judging panel for brand new ITV musical theatre show, World record crowd provides fitting end to historic Women's Six Nations, AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. We held a reception in the Parlour and I think that was very much appreciated. Please can you make contact with me when you see this, Thanks for this siteClapham rail disaster should never be forgottenI worked with Glenn Clark ..the weekend before this he was planning to go skydiving sadly he got the Monday morning train and I never saw him again RIP buddy. He designed just about all the front sets in the West End now.. About 70 people suffered horrific injuries as the front section of the moving train was ripped open and completely destroyed. The first thing I saw was legs with jeans and shoes on. That was and is the aim of this Investigation. This document was kindly sourced from Library Service and is in our Accident inquiry documents collection. Here is what happened that fateful morning of December 12, 1988. Two slam-door trains in 1986 (image: Wikipedia). [30], The Basingstoke train stopped at the next signal after the faulty signal, in accordance with the rule book. I was a good friend of Richard Dennison when this happened. [21] Unprotected wrong side signal failures where the failure permitted a train to go beyond where it was permitted had to be reported to the Railway Inspectorate. [5], An initial internal investigation showed that a wiring fault meant that the signal would not show a red danger aspect when the track circuit immediately in front of the signal was occupied. 6.30am: Passengers who usually catch the 6.14am Poole to London train have to get on at Bournemouth because of the previous nights disruption. Impresario Harold Fielding said: Michael was the king of front of house design. This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject. Survivors and families paid their respects to the dead and almost 500 injured people at a church service. What was the outcome of the investigation? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Mr Bowis said the boys from nearby Emanuel School were "impressive" in the way they came to help the injured, but added: "I'm very conscious that some very young eyes and minds were confronted with awful things.". Twenty-two of the people killed were from Dorset and the New Forest . On the day Mr Gillon, now 71, was travelling from Hampshire in the third carriage of the London-bound Bournemouth train. This is a fascinating account of a tragic disaster. He was to have celebrated his birthday on Sunday. On This Day: Clapham Junction rail crash kills 35 people He picked up the receiver and spoke to the signalman, informing him of the collision and asking him to call the emergency services. Despite its name, the district of Clapham is around one mile south-east of the station. It is approximately 2.71 miles from London Victoria station and around 3.93 miles from London Waterloo. London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton said she remembered the "tragic" event "like it was yesterday". I woke up to see it on the news, and felt grateful not to have been at work. I'll try my best to source most of it, most of which will be from Hidden's Report, which I believe Tagish said is okay. . If a patient needs major surgery this can only be carried out by a consultant who has significant experience in that field, you wouldnt want a knee surgeon operating on your eye for example. Page contents not supported in other languages. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. (Please note this article contains details and images which some readers may find upsetting). Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, report last month found lessons learned in the disaster were being "forgotten", Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests. His eventual report included 93 recommendations, for changes to the working practices of both British Rail and the emergency services.[13]. Rescue was hampered because the railway was in a cutting, with a metal fence at the top and a wall at the bottom of a wooded slope. I phoned his parents when I heard of the crash and they gave me the sad news that he had been on the train. 2023 BBC. Some of the walking injured were treated at nearby Emanuel School. A total of 35 people died in the collision, while 484 were injured.[1]. He had lived with his girlfriend for 10 years. In that incident, a pair of redundant points had been left in an unsafe condition and undetectable by the signalling system. contact the editor here. When the crash happened we were thrown down the train. He was born in Nottingham. According to witnesses onboard, the driver of this train- John Rolls barged through the door of his cab in the final seconds before impact, no doubt realising it was impossible to brake in time. Youre welcome; so sorry to hear you lost a friend. Marilyn Robinson, 73, escaped the wreckage of the Basingstoke train with relatively minor injuries. The Knowledge of London: Training to be a London Cabbie, The Archive: Links to all previous articles, https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/ambulance-stories-41/, From London to Lockerbie: The 30th Anniversary of Pan Am 103 | View from the Mirror, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYAVtF7v-U, Follow View from the Mirror on WordPress.com, RobsLondon YouTube Channel: Exploring Waterloos Secret Arches, Candid Capital: From the Suburbs to The City, Keith Flint: A Tribute to The Firestarter, Introducing the View From the Mirror Archive- a new contents page, From London to Lockerbie: The 30th Anniversary of Pan Am 103, The 30th Anniversary of the Clapham Rail Disaster. The driver of the Bournemouth train, John Rolls, had not stood a chance. He then called the Clapham Junction station manager and asked him to call the emergency services. Bless you, Robert. [15] Installation and testing was carried out at weekend during voluntary overtime, the technician having worked a seven-day week for the previous 13 weeks. November 5, 1967 Hither Green rail crash, pictured. She died on 3 November, four weeks after the crash. #Disaster #Railway #HistoryLearn while you're at home with Plainly Difficult!In the morning rush our of the 12 December 1988, a crowded passenger train crash. The driver of a fourth train, coasting with no traction current, saw the other trains and managed to come to a stop behind the other two and the signal that should have protected them, which was showing a yellow "proceed with caution" aspect instead of a red "danger" aspect. The train drivers' union Aslef held a separate wreath-laying event and two-minute silence at the Spencer Park memorial at 08:13, to mark the exact moment the crash happened. He created the new human rights and equality commission in the province. That signal was still showing a yellow "proceed with caution" instead of a red "danger" light. If I use the analogy of doctors, so a G.P. It is also the busiest station in the UK for interchanges between services. His train, which had come from Poole, ploughed head-on into the back of a stationary train, from Basingstoke. Prayers at the service mentioned the pupils of nearby Emanuel School, who helped treat the injured after the crash. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. 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She was an IT consultant and single. Clapham Junction rail crash 1988: Events remember the dead His mistakes had allowed a signal to remain at green when the Basingstoke train had stopped just beyond it. Now, I don't know why this is, but would it be okay if I could add a lot of the Detail in MY OWN WORDS to the Article, although the only source I have IS the Report? Thank you, LondonCabbie! [17] In particular, a wire count that would have identified that a wire had not been removed was not carried out. This document was published on 27th September 1989 by His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Former Mayor remembers grieving relatives. South London Memories: Remembering the Clapham train crash of 1988 Bosses from the emergency services and rail industry representatives also attended memorial events. Simon Edward. Clapham rail disaster: Memorial service held - BBC News The wire came into contact with a relay, causing a signal to display a 'wrong side' green aspect regardless of the presence of a train on the track circuit. Many of the passengers were in a deep state of shock, so much so that they were unable to comprehend where they were or what had happened. Best wishes. Faulty wiring and an incorrect signal caused the 1988 crash at Clapham Junction Wreaths have been laid and a minute's silence held to remember the 35 people killed in a train crash in south. He was visited in hospital in London by Mrs Thatcher, before being moved to Southampton General in time for Christmas. The names of those who died are set out at Appendix A. Click here to start a new topic. No-one was hurt, but a report found mistakes made were similar to those which caused a fatal crash at Clapham Junction in 1988. I was severely injured in the crash, trapped for 2 1/2 hours, lost a limb and had multiple other internal and external injuries. The government at the time would not commit to the cost, but the simpler Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) has since been installed across the network, but this system is still unable to stop trains travelling at more than 75mph from passing through a red signal. On the day, two commuter trains, carrying an estimated 1,300 passengers between them, collided just outside the station. In 1989 a memorial to those who were killed and injured was unveiled on Spencer Park which overlooks the site of the tragedy. The alertness of a driver prevented a serious accident. Several victims of the Clapham Rail Disaster were pictured in the news the following day. London. As of 1999, the rule book had not been changed. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. Credits My heartfelt thanks still go to the servicemen who cut me out, the doctors and nurses who saved my life at St Georges Hospital and to all those who helped me in the years following. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? We're looking for people affected by the #Clapham train crash ahead of an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the disaster in which 35 people lost their lives. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests. If the Basingstoke train had carried on to the signal following the next signal, the crash would not have happened because the Bournemouth train would have stopped at the signal where the crash occurred. Please report any comments that break our rules. He found many errors in the way British Rail worked at that time. A second service was also held at the memorial site, which was attended by train drivers and representatives of their union, Aslef. Vigil held for Clapham Junction rail crash victims 25 years on "Important lessons have been learnt since then and Britain today has one of the safest rail networks in the world," she said. Each email has a link to unsubscribe. Mrs Ship said: "Dad was a train driver and was in the train cab travelling to work as he knew the driver.". History, trivia, stories & more from Robert Lordan, author of 'The Knowledge, Train Your Brain Like a Cabbie'. The devastating three-train collision, which happened at 8.10am on December 12, 1988, was caused by faulty wiring and an incorrect signal. Simon Wood, 40, a project worker for a charity working with homeless children, of Liss,
He recommended a reduction in working hours (staff had been working every day for weeks which inevitably leads to fatigue). One, George Gillon, from London, said he was "one of the lucky ones". It takes 12 hours to clear the line. A card attached said simply I love you. Anthony Beeton, 47, married with two children, a civil servant with the Northern Ireland Office who had helped draft the Good Friday Agreement. [16] The re-wiring had been done a few weeks previously, but the fault had only developed the previous day when equipment had been moved and the loose and uninsulated wire had created a false feed to a relay. By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Clapham Junction rail crash memorial - Virtual Globetrotting [18] There had been inadequate training, assessment, supervision and testing and, with a lack of understanding of the risks of signalling failure, these were not monitored effectively. company, who described him as "enthusiastic and dedicated", two months before the crash. The operator in the nearby Raynes Park electrical control room suspected there had been a derailment and re-configured the supply so that the nearby Wimbledon line trains could still run. The tragedy, on this day 33 years ago . He stops to call the signal box from the trackside. At 08:13 on 12 December 1988 faulty wiring and signalling caused three trains to collide in Clapham. After that impact the first train veered to its right and struck a third oncoming train. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Fiona Grey, 33, from Alexandria, Dumbarton, was identified from her dental records. Network Rail said the Waterloo crash was "a wake-up call". He had no control over automatic signals, however, and was not able to stop the fourth train. A third empty train ran into the wreckage shortly after, killing some passengers who had survived the first crash. Please see this explanation for further details. Devastation: the scene at Clapham Junction in 1988 where 35 people died, Chaos: firefighters, paramedics and police search for survivors (Picture: PA), You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. The reason I was unable to source most of it, was because I didn't know how, but if so, it would be ALL from the Hidden Report as previously stated. Ola Bratlie, a 26-year-old telecommunications engineer. However, after three further fatal crashes caused by red signals being passed, calls were once again made to install it across the UK in 2002. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The silence was held at 08:13 GMT, the. Between 100 and 180 trains use the station every hour, except between midnight and 5am. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, report last month found lessons learned in the disaster were being "forgotten", Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8.