Просмотр кода страницы Английская Википедия:Hither Green rail crash

{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{One source|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox public transit accident
| name                = Hither Green rail crash
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| date                = 5 November 1967
| time                = 21:16
| location            = [[Hither Green Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)|Hither Green Depot]]
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| country             = England
| line                = [[South Eastern Main Line]]<br />([[Southern Region of British Railways|BR Southern Region]])
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| type                = 
| cause               = Broken rail
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| bus                 = 
| trains              = 1
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| passengers          = full train, some [[standing passenger]]s
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| deaths              = 49
| injuries            = 78
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| footnotes           = [[List of rail accidents in the United Kingdom|List of UK rail accidents by year]]
}}
On 5 November 1967, a busy Sunday evening train service from {{rws|Hastings}} to {{rws|London Charing Cross}} derailed near the [[Hither Green maintenance depot]] in [[London]], between {{rws|Hither Green}} and {{rws|Grove Park}} railway stations. Of the twelve coaches, many full of [[standing passenger]]s, eleven were derailed and four turned onto their sides, resulting in 49 fatalities and 78 injuries. It is Britain's sixth worst [[rail disaster]] in terms of [[List of British rail accidents by death toll|death toll]].

The derailment was found to be due to a broken rail. The Ministry of Transport report criticised the maintenance of the line, especially following a recent increase of the maximum speed of trains over the route. Following the accident the maintenance of the line was improved and plans accelerated for replacing jointed track by continuous welded rail.

==Derailment==
On Sunday 5 November 1967 the 19:43 Hastings to Charing Cross service, consisting of twelve coaches formed by two six-car [[Diesel multiple unit|diesel-electric multiple units]] – 1007 (a [[British Rail Class 201|6S]]) leading 1017 (a [[British Rail Class 202|6L]]){{sfn|McMullen|1968|pp=2–3}} – and travelling at approximately {{convert|70|mph}}, [[derailment|derailed]] at 21:16 shortly before the St Mildred's Road railway bridge, near [[Hither Green maintenance depot]]. The leading pair wheels of the third coach were derailed by a broken rail and ran on for a quarter of a mile (400&nbsp;m) before hitting points, causing eleven coaches to be derailed and four of those to turn onto their sides. The train came to rest in {{convert|250|yd}}, except for the leading coach that detached and ran on a further {{convert|220|yd}}.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=1}}

It was a busy Sunday evening and there were passengers standing in the train. Forty-nine passengers were killed and 78 injured, 27 being detained in hospital. Most of the casualties had been travelling in the overturned coaches.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=1}} The victims included [[James Gordon Melville Turner]] and Hugh Whittard, son of Walter Whittard international retailer of fine teas. Amongst the survivors were singer [[Robin Gibb]] of the [[Bee Gees]] and his wife-to-be Molly Hullis.<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of Whittard |url=https://www.whittard.co.uk/discover/whats-new/history-of-whittard.html |website=Whittard of Chelsea |access-date=22 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=13100 |title=Massachusetts by Bee Gees |website=Songfacts |publisher=Songfacts.com |date=1 November 2009 |access-date=22 June 2020}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The emergency services arrived within five minutes and the first casualty arrived at hospital 18 minutes after the derailment. The last survivor was taken to hospital at 01:00 the following morning. Local residents, [[The Salvation Army]] and [[Women's Voluntary Service]] assisted the injured and shocked.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=1}}

The fast lines were blocked by the derailment and the traction current to the slow lines was turned off to allow the rescue. Traction current was temporarily restored to the slow lines for the Tuesday morning rush hour and returned to traffic at 15:40 that afternoon. The fast lines were reopened with a speed restriction at 06:20 Wednesday morning.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=1}}

==Inquiry and report==
The derailment was found to be due to a broken rail at a rail joint, where a [[fatigue (material)|fatigue]] crack through the first bolt hole in a running-on rail had progressively developed and a triangular piece of rail had broken out. The [[railroad tie|sleeper]] at the joint had previously failed and been replaced with a shallower timber replacement. This replacement had not been well packed, was on a shallow layer of clean ballast and the rubber pad supporting the rail on the adjacent concrete sleeper was missing.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=17}}

After the derailment passengers commented about trains running at excessive speed, but British Rail routinely monitored this and the number of trains running in excess of the permitted speed was small and normally only by a small amount. Complaints were also received about the rough riding of Hastings line stock and another train of the same class was tested on Southern Region and Eastern Region track. Although the ride quality was better on the Eastern region track, it was not considered dangerous on Southern Region track.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|pp=14–16}}

The speed limit for [[electric multiple unit]]s on the track had been raised from {{convert|75|mph|abbr=on}} to {{convert|90|mph|abbr=on}} in July 1967.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=2}} After the derailment the line was inspected and a temporary speed restriction of  {{convert|60|mph|abbr=on}} imposed.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|p=6}} The report found that Civil Engineering and Inspection Departments had permitted too low a standard of maintenance on the line and had failed to assess the implications of increasing the speed of the trains.{{sfn|McMullen|1968|pp=18–19}}

==Legacy==
Maintenance of the line was improved, [[Rail inspection|inspection]] techniques and jointing methods were revised, and plans for replacing [[jointed track]] by [[continuous welded rail]] were accelerated. Concrete sleepers were banned at rail joints on the [[Southern Region of British Railways|Southern Region]].{{sfn|McMullen|1968|pp=19–21}}

A plaque in Hither Green station commemorates the victims. Station staff and loved ones laid wreaths and flowers at the plaque on the anniversary of the disaster.

==See also==
{{Portal|1960s|United Kingdom}}
* [[Edward Ashmore#Family|Edward Ashmore § Family]]
* [[Pioltello train derailment]], also caused by a broken rail at a track joint

==References==

===Footnotes===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite report |date=8 August 1968 |title=Report On The Derailment That Occurred On 5th November, 1967 Near Hither Green In The Southern Region British Railways |publisher=[[Her Majesty's Stationery Office]] |first=D. |last=McMullen |url=https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=99 |via=The Railways Archive |access-date=13 October 2012 }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | first=O.S. | last=Nock | year=1980 | title=Historic Railway Disasters | edition=2nd | publisher= Ian Allan }}
* {{cite book | first=Stanley | last=Hall | year=1987 | title=Danger Signals | publisher= Ian Allan }}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120624022800/http://www.newsplayer.com/hither-green-rail-crash-video ITN news footage and interviews]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/5/newsid_3135000/3135762.stm Hither Green rail crash] BBC News online 'On this day'

{{1967 railway accidents}}
{{Railway accidents in the United Kingdom, 1900–1999|state=collapsed}}
{{London rail accidents}}
{{Robin Gibb}}
{{Coord|51|26|43|N|0|00|20|E|region:GB-LEW_type:landmark|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hither Green Rail Crash}}
[[Category:Railway accidents and incidents in London]]
[[Category:Hither Green]]
[[Category:Transport in the London Borough of Lewisham]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Lewisham]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1967]]
[[Category:1967 disasters in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1967 in London]]
[[Category:Derailments in England]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving British Rail]]
[[Category:November 1967 events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Robin Gibb]]
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