Human failings caused crash (From Warrington Guardian)

Human failings caused crash

I WRITE in reply to the recent article in the Winsford and Middlewich Guardian regarding the first Winsford rail disaster, which occurred in April, 1948.

The cause was a succession of events and human failings. The communication cord was pulled in the toilet of one of the carriages on the 4.45pm Glasgow to Euston express.

The train stopped adjacent to Park Avenue on the up line. Train protection was agreed between the fireman and guard, leaving the fireman to locate the turned disc in the train's vacuum pipe brake system in order to rectify the fault caused when the cord was pulled.

The guard set off properly to protect his train but fell down in the dark conditions, and this caused his handlamp to go out.

He relit his lamp and carried on and managed to place the first detonator on the track. He then carried on towards Winsford junction box but it was too late.

The 6.30pm postal Glasgow to Euston, running late, passed over the detonator and immediately braked, hitting the standing train at about 45mph.

Only the rear coach was badly damaged but couplings further up the train of 13 coaches were broken. All the fatalities were in the rear coach.

The guard of the standing train was in his 60s. The box lad who should have passed information forward to the signalman at Winsford station signal box was in his 60s. The signalman in the signal box, also in his 60s, was more interested in cooking a meal than doing his job properly and was apportioned the most blame for the accident, but in fairness he was suffering from a stomach problem.

The signalman at Minshull Vernon signal box averted a worse disaster as, on his own initiative, he stopped the down postal 8pm Euston to Glasgow train from running into the mishap.

The second Winsford train crash did not actually happen in Winsford - it took place 1200 yards south of Winsford station on the up fast line adjacent to Dairy House Farm, then owned by ICI.

The train was standing at a Coppenhall Junction signal box-controlled signal, as due to bad weather conditions the crossing points at Crewe North junction were snowed up.

The train was a Liverpool to Birmingham express train that had departed at 4.30pm on December 26, 1961, electrically hauled by a new type of locomotive.

The following train was the Midday Scot from Glasgow to Euston, hauled by D326, an English Electric diesel loco manufactured at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows.

The driver of this train from Glasgow was a Polmadie loco shed driver and was in his 60s. He had previously been involved in a fatal accident in Crewe station when his fireman was electrocuted moving coal forward in the loco's tender.

The Midday Scot had been standing for some time and the driver's assistant had tried to communicate with Winsford station signal box but the signal post telephones were out of order.

He should have then walked the 500 yards to the signal post telephone on the down line, which was working, and spoken to the signal man in Winsford junction signal box, who could have advised of the train ahead.

When he got back into the driving cab his driver decided to proceed on the evidence of a caution signal - the problem was the train ahead was obscuring the red signal the train was standing at and the caution signal was the one in advance of that red signal.

He should have proceeded at walking pace but struck the train in front between 25 and 45mph. The impact telescoped the Liverpool to Birmingham train, coaches were reared in the air and came into contact with the 25,000 volt overhead line equipment.

It was carnage inside the stricken train. After the Ministry of Transport enquiry the Polmadie driver was removed from main line duties and never took a loco off shed again.

The loco, after repair in Crewe works, went back into service and was working the Glasgow to Euston postal train robbed at Cheddington later. The Crewe driver, Hack Mills, a true gentleman, died of his injuries received from the thugs who have since been lionised on film.

Just over a year later, too late for murder charges to be brought, he died - still the man of the year, which he had been voted for his courage in facing up to the gang.

His assistant, who had gone forward towards the signal post telephone to ascertain the cause of the delay, put his hands in the air and surrendered to the gang. He was not injured but died an early death.

In 1963 the George Cross for civilian valour was awarded to driver Wallace Oakes of Crewe North MPD for his action in saving his train.

As it was passing through Winsford a main steam pipe burst on the Class 70 steam loco heading an express passenger train.

He ordered his fireman to jump after first slowing down the train, then stayed at the controls until he brought the train to a stand.

He was critically scalded and died a few days later. A loco still carries the nameplate, driver Wallace Oakes GC.

Driver Oakes lived at Wheelock.

Allan Ravenscroft,

Station Road, Winsford.

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