Sutton Coldfield Rail Disaster memorial,West Midlands,England,UK 23/01/1955
The Sutton Coldfield train crash took place at about 16:13 on 23 January 1955 in Sutton Coldfield, a town now within the City of Birmingham, when an express passenger train traveling from York to Bristol, England, derailed due to excessive speed on a sharp curve. Accident circumstances Headed by a LMS Class 5 4-6-0 steam locomotive No 45274, the 12:15 York to Bristol express, consisting of ten carriages, approached Sutton Coldfield railway station at about 55-60 mph (88-96 km/h) — twice the permitted speed of 30 mph. When it reached the sharp curve immediately before the station, the train derailed, colliding with the platforms. The carriages, engine, and station buildings were severely damaged. The first carriage was crushed between the engine and the second carriage. The fourth carriage was knocked into the air causing it to drag along the station roof, damaging both the roof and the platforms to either side. Seventeen people, including the train crew, were killed and 25 injured. The train had been diverted away from its usual route into Birmingham via Tamworth because of engineering work. The regular driver did not know the diversionary route via Sutton Coldfield, so another driver, fully conversant with it, had joined him at Burton-on-Trent to 'conduct' him over this section. However, the regular driver, complaining that the rough riding of the engine was tiring him, left the footplate and took a seat in the train, leaving the conductor driver in charge. This action was later criticised by the Inspecting Officer who commented that, even though he did not know the route, the safety of the train was still his responsibility. On 23 January 2016, the day after the 61st anniversary of the crash, a memorial to the victims was unveiled, at Sutton Coldfield station, by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Ray Hassall
Size: 3579px × 2606px
Location: Railway Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England, B73 6AY
Photo credit: © Tony Smith / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: @hotpixuk, -op, -operative, 2016, 23/01/2016, 23rd, 61st, anniversary, appreciation, birmingham, british, buy, coldfield, coop, councillor, crash, disaster, england, gb, gotonysmith, hassall, images, january, lineside, lord, mayor, memorial, midcounties, midlands, observer, pictures, plaque, rail, railway, ray, restriction, royal, sign, signs, society, speed, station, stock, sutton, town60th, uk, unveiled, victim, victims, west
