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Morpeth in Northumberland has what is reputed to be the most severe curve on any railway main line in Britain, as the track turns 90° from a northerly to an easterly direction immediately south of Morpeth Station, on an otherwise fast section of the East Coast Main Line railway (see aerial photo from multimap: *.). This was a major factor in three serious derailments between 1969 and 1994. The curve has a permanent speed restriction of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).
A permanent AWS warning magnet is installed on the approaches to the curve, but some concern has been expressed that safe navigation of the line relies mostly on the driver's route knowledge and constant attention.
1969 Derailment
On 7 May 1969 a northbound sleeping car express train from London to Aberdeen derailed on the curve. Six people were killed, 21 were injured and the roof of the station's northbound platform was damaged. The train had been travelling at 80 miles per hour (130 km/h). The driver had apparently allowed his attention to wander because he was thinking about an official letter that he had been handed when booking on duty, asking for an explanation of time lost on a previous journey *.
1984 Derailment
Another sleeping car express, this time a southbound Aberdeen to London service, was derailed at the same location on 24 June 1984. There were no fatalities, but 29 passengers and 6 train crew were injured. Two houses narrowly escaped being demolished by the scattering carriages. The train was estimated to have been travelling at 85 to 90 mph *.
The driver involved in this accident, a Mr. Allen, was prosecuted for being under the influence of alcohol, but acquitted after what was described by the Expert Witness Institute * (PDF) as an ambush defence. Driver Allen had consumed alcohol both before and after booking on duty, but the defence countered that he suffered from bronchitis and had in the past experienced severe coughing fits that had caused him to fall unconscious.
1992 Crash
On 13 November 1992 a collision between two freight trains at Morpeth led to one fatality. Class 56 locomotive 56066 ran into the back on a pipe train hauled by a class 37. The cab of the '56' was crushed and it was the driver from Millerhill that was killed. It is believed that the signal operator told the wrong driver to proceed.*
1994 Derailment
On 27 June 1994 an express parcels train crashed at the curve. The locomotive and the majority of carriages overturned, without fatalities, but causing injury to the driver. As with the 1969 and 1984 accidents, the train had been travelling at 80 mph (130 km/h) the Health and Safety Executive estimate that trains will overturn at above 75 mph (120 km/h), and noted that "Morpeth 1994 was a very serious event, which could easily have been fatal" [http://www.hse.gov.uk/railways/rollst/networkrailtsr.pdf.
Similar accidents
Similar accidents have occurred elsewhere:
- Amagasaki rail crash, Japan.
- In November 2004 at Rosedale, Queensland, when a tilt train failed to slow down for a sharp 60 km/h curve - there were no fatalities.
- In January 2003 at Waterfall train disaster, a train failed to slow down for a sharp curve; 7 people were killed.
- On January 23, 1955 at Sutton Coldfield train entered station at too high a speed for sharp curve.
- The Malbone Street Wreck 1913 in New York, in which 98 people were killed - the largest number of fatalities to date in any rapid transit incident.
See also
References
External links
"Rail accidents in Morpeth"