Charfield England Site of Rail Disaster
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- This is next in a series of films following the Gloucester to Bristol Railway. This week it is the turn of Charfield, known for the rail disaster that cost so many lives because of wooden coaches and gas heating and lights. The subsequent fire obliterated most of the carriages and those trapped inside. We go looking at the scene of the disaster and for the site of the station where there is a surprise waiting. We also take time out to visit the memorial to the victims of the crash in the local churchyard.
The railway from Standish where it parts company from the GWR going south to Bristol began life as a coal and freight line north of Bristol. It was later extended to Gloucester and then joined with the Birmingham to Gloucester line to enable goods and passengers to travel from Birmingham to Bristol in both directions.
Although the line remains, the stations in-between have not survived as well.
This series of films aims to look at or for evidence of these stations. Stonehouse, Frocester, Berkeley Road, Charfield, Wickwar and Yate.
We look for evidence and to tell the stories of the ‘goings on’ surrounding their history.
Network Rail are belatedly looking after their heritage and groups like the Railway Heritage Trust have helped them restore many similar disused buildings and some of the new uses they have been put to suggests that someone at a high level is interested - maybe Sir Peter Hendy. They are unlikely to either demolish it or let it fall down. How different from the infamous British Rail. Brilliant film, Ron.
Hi Phillip it is in a difficult position with regards to access, not insurmountable but awkward. Someone suggested it could be moved to a heritage railway site, lock stock and barrel, that would be wonderful....... but expensive. Take care. Ron
Just read about this accident in June railway magazine Steam World. Thank you so very much for taking time to produce this video - it's really appreciated
Glad you enjoyed it Stephen, thanks for watching. Ron
I've just found this and it's amazing.
Thank you for discovering and archiving for the future.
Glad you enjoy it!
What a find Ron! Let's hope the station and buildings get the attention they deserve. Thanks for taking us to the church, what a beautiful place. Take care Ron, have a good week.
I think Surmac has made sure of that James, what a star. Ron
Ron, just found this informative and moving video of an event that I knew nothing about before now. Quite amazed to see the original railway station and buildings... To quote you "What a find" along with a roam around the splendid former house of worship. RIP all who lost their lives all those years ago !
Must have been a terrifying event Roger, we still don't know who was to blame. Take care. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks Thank you Ron for your reply. I am currently in a very warm Thailand and watching your videos keeps me in touch with beautiful England and now I feel almost as you have become a friend so many miles away.... You're an inspiration !
@@rogercook6360 Thanks for watching Roger, is that your permeant abode? Ron
No, I’ve been coming here for the last 5 years during the English winters, I don’t like the cold anymore. You may remember that I said my home in the UK is a narrowboat and I return each year to do a mini cruise around the Bath area. One thing for sure when I return this year there will be plenty of water as I believe it’s been raining quite a bit lately 😮All the best Roger.
Thank you or this video - despite some of the less pleasant stories therein I enjoyed watching it and it has encouraged me to subscribe the the Church Preservation Society.
Well done John, a very worthy cause. Ron
Really enjoyed this, fascinating story and some great footage, the church and the memorial were a bonus!
Thanks Craig nice to know you enjoyed it. Ron
Absolutely fascinating as always
Thanks again Nicholas, take care. Ron
Thanks for that interesting item, Ron. Incredible that the station should remain like that. With the cost of land, you'd certainly expect it to have been restored and lived in or demolished so the land could be used for something else.
It was certainly a surprising find Jim, there can't be many stations in 'as was' condition. Ron
This is great video Ron, interesting, yet sad and haunting at the same time.
The church in particular had a strange feel to it because it was so empty. Ron
Ron, many thanks for an interesting visit to what would have been my local station in the 1960s, had it been open!
I also worked in a local textile mill together with a retired police sergeant who knew the officer who dealt with the aftermath of the crash.
The story of the 'two children' tends to have become somewhat more elaborate than I think the original facts allow.
Passengers on the train who survived spoke of 'seeing two youngsters near the front of the train' during the journey towards Bristol but after the crash, in fact, the bodies of two such kiddies were not discovered. A number of items of clothing were found, including school uniform (caps) but, as far as I am aware, no actual bodies. Nevertheless what was found was interred in Lesser Charfield churchyard at the top of Charfield Hill, as your film showed. Charfield's active church is in the centre of the village at the bottom of the hill.
I too have looked from time to time at the damage to the brickwork on the bridge and that was, and is, still clear to see.
There has long been talk, but not a great deal of action, about re-opening the station but the last initiative of which I am aware was criticized by villagers as 'likely to cause an increase in road traffic!, presumably to and from the station.
As with most centres of population within reach of larger cities and towns, the housebuilders are hard at work and this will surely strengthen the case for re-opening.
On a personal note. My late wife's grandfather was the ostler in charge of the team of horses whose major task in the 1920s was hauling passengers and mail from Charfield Station to the nearby town of Wotton-under-Edge, where I lived subsequent to my marriage to Jean.
Happy days, and thank you again.
Thanks John, it seems 'fake news' isn't as new as people think.
I did hear that there were plans to reopen the station which is probably why Network Rail want to buy back the land.
I love the link to your wife's grandfather, it makes you think, it wasn't that long ago that horses were still in common use. Ron
A wonderful video Ron. I knew nothing about this railway accident. You've certainly explained the circumstances very well.
Sad about the church. No longer in use - I guess because of a dwindling congregation.
The railway station buildings and infrastructure - what a find. I wonder what will happen to the remains?
Thanks so much for all your hard work in making this video.
Hi Michael, the problem with churches as we have found out in our local area, is that people won't support it, but get very upset if it has to close.
I would have loved to look inside the station buildings, but the owner advised me not to and I had to respect his wishes. Keep smiling. Ron
Michael, the church which Ron visited is outside the main village of Charfield which, from memory I think is called Lesser Charfield and is on the hill, above the village.
Charfield still has its main church in the centre, about half a mile from the scene of the accident, on the Bristol side of the village.
@@johnmwarr - Thanks for the information
Hi Ron, Great video and what a nice find.
The usual problem with big enterprises they are so slow and regimented.
Hi Richard, I couldn't believe it when I saw all the buildings still there. Take care. Ron
Ron
Yet another offbeat one thanks.
I used to work with someone who in a previous life was a relief ticket office clerk for the then BR
He said the crash and the identity of the two children was still a hot topic there. Not a nice place to be on a dark winter's night he said
Lots of tales to tell. Ron
Sends a shiver down my spine Peter. Ron
Beautiful and interesting video! 👍
Thanks for the visit. Ron
Ron, further to my note earlier today viz a viz the youngsters who were said to be victims of this dreadful accident, I have now read L.C. Rolt's 'Red for Danger' publication's reference to the accident. This book has been reissued a number of times over 25 years but it refers consistently to there having been two child victims who were unidentified. It says also that they were buried in an 'unmarked grave' which you know not to be true.
We shall never know, of course, but these stories will live on!
Stay safe Ron.
As Ever, JMW.
Thanks for the update John. Still fascinating. Ron
Thamk you. Very interesting.
You are very kind sir, thank you. Hope the house hunting is going well. Ron
Hi Ron very interesting video Gr8 footage the old station amazing it's still there the railways should be made to restore it as for being to close to an active line rubbish we're in the 21st century we have the technology and the equipment and very talented construction people to do it .Very sad and tragic event and also the two children who where never claimed . look forward to your next epic instalment Bye Ron.
An epic instalment Gary! you may have wait a while for one of those. LOL. From the above comments it still sound rather spooky out there at night. Hope you are keeping well. Ron
A very interesting video Ron, I wonder were the two children illegitimate and that is the reason they were not claimed, at that time in our history it was very much frowned upon to have children out of wedlock. This was one of a small number of railway accidents where some doubt exists as to the exact cause, the express driver must have passed the Distant Signal at Caution as it could only be cleared after the Home, Inner Home, Starting and Advanced Starting Signals had been cleared. Most of, if not all the Stop Signals could not be cleared as there was a train in section and as you rightly stated the points were reversed for the shunt move which was in Station limits. Whilst you may have been able to clear the Home Signal you would not be able to clear the other main line signals in rear of the shunt as it was conflicting move.
Hi Andrew, I see you have been helping me out with answers again this week, I need the help, I think many people are still intrigued by the circumstances around this one. I like your illegitimate children theory, I've not come across that one before. Keep smiling. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks Ron I always try and read the comments and often learn from other viewers knowledge, I am always pleased to pass on my knowledge to help other viewers with there questions where I can. I read some years ago that the wheels from one of the bogies put a groove in the bridge, I have not seen any photographic evidence to support this but it sounds plausible. Your right many people are intrigued by the circumstances of this accident, myself included, I can see no other explanation other than the train crew saw a green light that they thought was the Distant Signal but was not and just opened up the regulator and missed the Red Light of the Home or Inner Home Signal.
Hi Andrew, you would think that the driver and fireman having survived that they would have reached a definitive answer, but it seems not. Surprising to think that it happened nearly 100 years ago. Enjoy your weekend. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks Hi Ron, I have managed to get hold of details concerning the accident and the signalling at Charfield. I can now confirm there was both a Home Signal and an Inner Home Signal on the Down Line and that both were at Danger when the express passed them. The weather at the time was misty but the Signalman could see his Fog Object so was not required to send for a Fogmen. Normally a Signalman has to have a quarter of a mile of track clear in advance of his outermost Home Signal before he can accept a train from the box in rear so if a driver over runs the first Home Signal he has time to bring his train to a stand without an accident occurring. Having said this at some Boxes a signalman can accept a train with the line clear to the outermost Home signal only but without the clearing point been clear this is known as acceptance under the 'Warning Arrangement'. A driver is informed by the box in rear when he is accepted under the 'Warning Arrangement' . Charfield Box was, as far as I can tell, was authorised to accept down trains under the 'Warning Arrangement' at that time but the express was accepted normally as the Goods was in advance of the clearing point when setting back into the siding. Colonel Pringle who investigated the accident only made reference to the importance of the Distant Signal, I just cannot see why a definitive answer to the cause could not be reached. Take care and enjoy your weekend.
@@andrewmerriman7133 Brilliant work Andrew, I love all the detail and I will read it several times to enjoy it, thank you very much. Take Care. Ron
Never been claimed a ghost story in the making
Spooky Chris. Ron
Similar to the Quintishill crash😢
You are right, it does have similarities, but at least in Quintishill they were able to establish a cause. Ron
What a waste of a building for train mad resident...
Wouldn't that be wonderful. Ron
A poignant document. Were any lessons learned about wooden carriage construction, or the use of on-board gas lighting?
There were many railway accidents where gas lighting and wooden bodied stock were a major contributor to the death toll. In many enquiries conducted by the Railway Inspectorate they recommended the change to steel bodied stock with electric lighting, it took years before the old coaches were phased out following which deaths in railway accidents reduced substantially.
I think a few more people had to die first, there are quite a few more infernos documented. Ron
Thanks Andrew, I need a hand this week. Ron
Thanks for yet another amazing & informative video.It would be nice if the station & buildings could be moved to a preserved railway,Maybe 1 day.Thanks again.
Now that Ste is a brilliant suggestion, lets hope that someone with influence reads your post. Ron.
One thing I did notice: There are three UHF TV aerials on the station master's house; which indicates that it was lived in after 1964 - when the BBC launched BBC2 on a UHF 625 line PAL System II transmission only. It was probably lived in after November 1969; when both BBC1 and ITV also started transmitting in 625 lines on the UHF band. - Effectively at that point making it worth buying a UHF aerial and also making the old VHF 405-line system redundant, even though the VHF 405 signals continued broadcasting until 1982. - After which all 405-line receiving equipment (There were a few VHF sets still left working; because I had three of them.) became worthless as they had no signal to receive.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/405-line_television_system#:~:text=In%201964%2C%20the%20BBC%20launched,older%20sets%20could%20not%20receive.
What an amazing post Sharron, you never cease to amaze me. Keep safe. Ron
Yes I also noticed the relatively modern aerials on it Sharron.
Sharron, No wonder Ron suggested we read your comments the following week, I found the knowledge you have on the subject unbelievable, I doubt many people would have remember all of that, I certainly didn't, I was quite a telly addict then when the BBC and others made really good programs.
Excellent vlog, Ron, and great to see all those original station buildings. What a find!. Stay safe, Mate👍
Morning Ron, I couldn't really believe it when I saw it, probably the only one left in that condition I would think. Ron
A complete station. That has to be preserved, we have lost too much already.
Agreed Simon, but it will all come down to money. Now if you could enter and win the Masters tournament next year! Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks I'd better get a lottery ticket, 14 million to 1 is better odds!
@@thehairygolfer LOL. Ron
Another excellent researched and produced video. According to local paper (Gazette) dated December 8 2020, a plan to reopen the station had received the next stage of approval by the West of England Combined Authority Committee. Of course this may be political rhetoric with no real substance, but, being less cynical, it may explain the station buy back.
If they operate as normal, there is probably a long way to go yet Rodney, then in the end they'll find they can't afford it! Take care Ron
So so sad but very interesting piece of history , thank you guys for your story
No problem thank you. Ron
Ah UK...left hand not know what right hard is doing....
Yep Robert, some things never change. Ron
I live in Charfield and walk past this station every day, always look over its a wonderful site, seems the station is being reopened in the not too distant future... Don't think the okd station buildings will survive unfortunately... Will be great for the village though ..thanks for the video
Hi Tadstar, great news if the station is reopened, I know it has been talked about for a long time. I would have thought the old station site were listed buildings, but they will probably be flattened and one of those bus shelter type things put in its place. Shame. Ron
@@tadstar There is hope. Ron
Great video Ron, it bought back many memories, when I used to work for South Gloucestershire Council I had two customers who lived behind the pub and I used to pass Charfield station everyday, I really hope that they do preserve it. Changed my portfolio on here from Steve Jesic to Wolfman to show my support for my home town club, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, talking of Wolverhampton they had two stations, High level with is still used and Low level which is no longer used but is still there, to be exact the low level station building is still there, a grand building too. That would be a interesting video to do.
Thanks Steve, I do love these personal connections.
Wolverhampton station, Hmmm, worth a thought. Ron
New regime, Parkinsons Walks, MY walk, coffee...James not happy. Thanks Ron, very nice photography. Sumac
That's me with a big grin on my face for the rest of the week Surmac, thank you. Ron
Awesome video Ron what a superb find the station and the Church, very moving. One of your best yet, fantastic. Thank you for sharing and best wishes.
Thanks John, glad you enjoyed it. Look after yourself. Ron
I did find that interesting
Thanks for watching Michael. Ron
My late wife and I visited this site in September 2014. I had long wished to see this, mainly because of the two children who are associated with the crash. Sadly the church was not open when we were there, so it was nice to see the interior. By coincidence, the accident occurred on 13th October 1928, which happened to be my father's 21st birthday! The other intriguing and rail crash was, as you may know, in September 1906 at Grantham on the Great Northern. Rolt, in his book says that is is probably the most mysterious. Northbound express ran through Grantham under red signals and piled up beyond. The driver, Fleetwod and firemen Talbot both knew the road very well and various theories have since been advanced as to why the train never slowed for the points on the Nottingham line and reverse curve beyond. Both were killed in the crash.
By the way, the pub, next to the bridge was used as a temporary mortuary of those who were killed.
Thanks Richard, fabulous post, we all love a mystery don't we. I don't think I have read Rolts book, but I have got Stan Halls Railway Disasters which I think I remember covers the Grantham crash. Thanks for sharing
Hard to imagine the horror Richard. Ron
Great film Ron. A remarkable find that old station was, absolutely fascinating indeed. Lovely old church too; though it's always sad to see one no longer in service, The Churches Conservation Trust deserve our upmost support and respect for the fantastic work they do keeping these wonderful buildings preserved.
It seems strange to me David, that folk don't support their local church but get very upset if it has to close. Life I guess. Ron
I've often thought that too Ron. Best way to ensure a churches long term survival is to support it in some way. We're lucky that our local church (St Peter and St Paul's in Hockley) is still very much at the heart of the community and gets a good deal of support, which is wonderful as the church is a beautiful 13th century building which must be cherished.
@@davidbennett6079 Where my son lives in Chippingham the local church gets good numbers, but they seem to be the exception. Ron
Yes, the picture shows just how gruesome this accident was. Very sobering. Do you know where the signal box was in relation to the accident site?
Morning Ian, I think the signal box was between the station and the bridge, if not someone will let us know. Ron
The Signal Box was situated between the Gloucester end of the Up platform and the road bridge, the signalman would not have had a clear view of the line from the Down (Gloucester) direction. The relevant signals had repeaters in the box to show if they were 'On' (Danger or Caution) or 'Off' (clear). At the time there was a Down train in Section so most of, if not all the Down Signals were locked at Danger or Caution by the interlocking in the frame, even if there was no train in section the Down Home (dependent on the distance from the siding points) may have been locked at Danger, the Down Inner Home and therefore the Distant would have been locked at Danger or Caution as the Down Trailing Points to the Siding were reversed.
@@ParkinsonsWalks Thanks Ron, as you said, someone did indeed come along and gave a good description of the layout and sequence of events. Very helpful for a novice like me to visualize it all. Thank you Andrew!
@@andrewmerriman7133 Thanks Andrew for the very rapid response, and I apologize for my tardy response. Some great information there, really helps me visualize the chain of events. I presume the signalman's vision was further limited by the goods train passing through the station on the up line. It must have been dreadful for both the signalman and the drivers on the up freight to see all this unfurl and be helpless to do anything at that point. Sounds like the express train plowed on through a series of signals set to caution or danger.. Does anyone know what speed the express would have been travelling and what he was was travelling at impact? Thanks, Ian.
@@notyhbynorthwest Hi Ian, No apology was required, I appreciate some people have very busy lives and cannot respond as quickly as I can. I am not exactly sure where the Up goods was in relation to the signal box at the time of impact so cannot be certain if it had any affect on the signalman's view but on the balance of probability I do not think it would. You make a really important but often forgotten point the effect this has on Signalmen and drivers, some drivers never drive again afterwards others are driving very soon afterwards. The express driver having in his words seen the Distant Signal off (which he could not have done) assumed that the Home, Inner Home, Starting and Advanced Starting had to be off, the interlocking been arranged that the Distant Signal could not be off unless the other four stop signals were already off. As to the speed of the express it is most likely in this case it was never established the only way you might learn that is from the accident report which would need to have exact timings down to the second and the exact distances covered as well as the distance the signals were from the point of impact. The distance the signals were from the signal box would be on the signal box diagram and the distance of the trailing point (Point of Impact) could be calculated by reference to the signal distances but that's the easy bit. The timings of the train itself passing the signals would not be recorded, so I doubt your question of speed could be calculated.