Trains in the 1980s - West Ealing Station derailment - Monday 7th August 1989
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- Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
- The evening of Sunday 6th August 1989 saw the derailment of 50 025 Invincible and 9 MkII coaches which comprised the 21:15 Oxford to Paddington Service.
The photographs were taken around lunchtime on Monday the 7th. The video clips that follow were taken much later in the day, after the Class 50 had been removed from the trackbed.
The crash was caused by an object (reportedly a 12ft length of rail) being deliberately placed on the Up Main line; After derailing, 50 025 travelled some distance on its side and a flash fire broke out, caused by the offending piece of rail puncturing the side of the loco's fuel tank.
Luckily, there were no fatalities or serious injuries, although the driver and 6 passengers were treated for minor injuries. To date, it appears that no one has been charged, or convicted, for this serious criminal and potentially fatal act.
By the evening, 50 025 had been lifted and moved onto blocks in the Car Park of Waitrose Supermarket, and much of the stock re-righted and shunted away. Unfortunately, Invincible was too badly damaged in the crash to be repaired, and was subsequently scrapped.
[Note: some of this content was posted to the channel previously but has been re-edited, still photographs added, and converted from 4:3 aspect to 16:9].
0:00 Photographs
3:18 Video - Авто та транспорт
Thankfully no fatalities or serious injuries. However, the irony of the scrapped loco named Invincible.
I was on a family holiday in Mallaig Scotland when this happened, I remember the sight on the news of 50025 on her side with that carriage on top of her , I will admit i shed some tears with it being one of my favorite class of locos .
Never repaired, so sad as you say.
That accident happened before I was born. Amazing that no one wasn't killed in that horrible accident.
Quite Ironic this happened to 50025 Invincible. I heard of this derailment but didn't think it caused as much damage as this, and scrapped 50025. Lucky there were no fatalities or bad injuries
Just goes to show the inherent strength of the Mk2 monocoque design, barely any broken windows, let alone body damage...
Apparently the train travelled along the track bed for about half a mile after the collision, so yes, it does show the inherent strength of the Mk2 design. Thanks for commenting 👍
Goodness, I'd forgotten about this crash. It came so soon after the terrible one at Clapham Junction.
Moving 12ft of rail is no small feat. The rail would weigh around 460 lb. Must have been a big gang of burly vandals.
This happened barely days after I'd left school in that year. I remember at least one train I travelled on getting to Paddington having to go up the Greenford line and then turning right to head towards Old Oak Common to get there. If I remember correctly the line was fully restored by the end of the week.
Yes I remember the trains were being diverted on the day I was there. I think you’re correct, the line was back in operation relatively quickly considering. Thanks for commenting 👍😊
It begs the question HOW a 12ft piece of rail was moved in the first place let alone who. It must taken a whole gang, one person couldnt have it, rail is bloody heavy stuff
It would take six to eight people to carry it either with rail carrying dogs or by hand, as 12ft of rail would weigh around 440 pounds if it was 113A Flat bottom rail section.
The at the time reckoning was that it was likely current/former rail employees, because not only was the rail set up to catch the locomotive and spear the fuel tank, but this was done without shorting out the signalling currents that would otherwise have thrown the signals to danger.
It's a pity they were never brought to justice.
Can I ask what happens with the rail when you say moved it . Was it points moved or cut out and removed ect . 😃
@@dannymurphy4199 I understand it was a separate "lose" piece of rail that was already there sitting by the track either waiting for or left after some PW work.
So it wasn't removed from the running rails, they were still intact, it was added between them and propped up so it would pierce the loco fuel tank.
I would say there must be quite a few culprits to lift a heavy piece of rail onto the track
I was led to believe this was down to a deliberate act of vandalism. Those responsible should’ve got twenty years minimum.
Given the location and the length and weight of the rail offcut it is amazing nobody saw anything.
And they still ran trains past the scene. Imagine that now, closed for at least a week.
Yes, like access to Invincible in Waitrose car park, things that would just not happen now. Thanks for commenting.👍😊
Try three months!
@@nigelkthomas9501 Line was back in service in a week
As a Brighton secondman/ trainman we had a turn that was pass to ooc and pick up a 47 then light to mitre bridge and work a wcml train to Brighton. Remember seeing the loco at old oak. A real mess.
I didn’t go to Old Oak for a while after this, and it had gone from there the next time I did visit, which was 1990 I think. Thanks for commenting 👍😊
Thanks for sharing this film
My pleasure
The driver was den kimber
The guard was Paul walford
Both Oxford men
Paul ended up a driver at Hereford
And retired a few years ago
21.15 was a uncovered turn of duty from Oxford ....there was three train men applied for spare sunday shift paul, me and another guard who's name I can't remember but as Paul was a relative new guard on the Sunday equalisation sheet (making it fare share) he won the extra shift! If memory serves me right he hadn't been passed out so long! The driver was a good old boy one of the old school drivers!
Graham
I think it was Paul's first turn of duty as a guard,I was also an Oxford based guard.
@@thamestrains possibly! at least no more than a few turns under his belt....he'll of a induction to railway
"dont stop paul, dont stop, dont stop...... paul..."
I was born right before this accident. Wow never knew it happened but lucky no fatalities but still what a horrible rail accident.
Am I mistaken or did the remaining carriage which was attached to the 47 embed itself into the rear of the loco as it looked mightily close???
I don’t remember the loco being damaged in any way by the collision, but I think we left shortly afterwards and so can’t say we actually saw after the carriage had been removed. 🤔
I managed to get some photos of this accident with my zoom lens after the old bill wouldn't let me get some shots from the station.
I seem to remember access to the station altogether was blocked at the time I was there (in the morning), so I had to use my trusty Vivitar Series 1 70-210 zoom too. I supposed compared to nowadays, access for the general public was quite relaxed, especially in the evening in Waitrose’s car park! Thanks for commenting 👍😊
Mk 2 coaching stock was pretty robust.
I remember seeing 50041 Bulwark in Peterborough yard after it was recovered there following a similar accident at Paddington.
Yes, I remember that. I have a still photograph I took of Bulwark on its side in the mouth of Paddington. This was long before the video camera, and is at night- so I had to use a tripod as well. Thanks for commenting 👍😊
The consequences of Bulwark's accident look kind of similar, but that was actually a runaway - as far as I'm aware it's never been explained, the train brakes simply failed to work for no reason that anyone was ever able to work out - rather than deliberate sabotage like this one.
@@jonathanj8303 I read the report - it seemed like driver error.
Sad
If you're not interested in reading slowly scrolling text while swooshing around still photographs, the video begins at 3:18.
Chapter break now inserted - thanks. 👍😊 Geoff.