3. OFF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW
  4. OFF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

OFF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

This gallery is a sort of compendium of all the bent and the broken, the crashed and the bashed, both steam age and modern, loco and stock, both British and foreign. Most are duplicates of pictures to be found in other galleries, some taken by me and some very obviously not. These pictures are displayed for recreational/information/research purposes only and are not for sale under any circumstances. Every effort has been made to verify the information in the captions but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to upset anyone and please continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
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BOOTH'S SCRAPYARD, Rotherham - 47476 - BR Class 47 Co-Co DE - built 07/64 by Crewe Works as BR No.D1604 - 04/74 to BR No.47476 - 02/00 withdrawn - 04/04 scrapped by Booth's, Rotherham.
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BOOTH'S SCRAPYARD, Rotherham - 47476 - BR Class 47 Co-Co DE - built 07/64 by Crewe Works as BR No.D1604 - 04/74 to BR No.47476 - 02/00 withdrawn - 04/04 scrapped by Booth's, Rotherham.

  • 66048 - The loco was working the first ever southbound Stobart Rail service by DB Schenker when it derailed at Carrbridge, on the Highland mainline, on January 4th, 2010. It had been repainted at Toton especially for this new contract the previous week. The derailment caused by impairment to the engine's braking system due to extremely harsh weather conditions. No one was killed or seriously injured in the accident. However, the locomotive was damaged and written off. The Highland mainline was closed for 8 days until 12/01/2010 when it partially reopened, at reduced capacity.
  • ABERMULE - Shortly before midday on 26 January 1921, a west-bound stopping train from Whitchurch and an east-bound express from Aberystwyth were approaching Abermule from opposite directions, and were due to cross there. The regular Abermule Stationmaster, Parry, was on leave and Relief Stationmaster Lewis, who was deputising for him, had gone for his lunch. The other three station staff at Abermule were Signalman Jones, Porter Rogers, who was seventeen, and a trainee booking clerk named Thompson, who was only fifteen years old. The staff at Montgomery station requested clearance for the stopping train, and Signalman Jones pressed the release on the tablet instrument for the Montgomery-Abermule section, to allow it to proceed. He then checked that the express was running to time, and was informed that it had just passed Moat Lane Junction on the far side of Newtown, as scheduled. Jones then went to the signal box to open the level crossing gates and clear the signals for the stopping train. Meanwhile, Relief Stationmaster Lewis returned from his lunch. A permanent way sub-Inspector attracted his attention with an urgent enquiry and the stationmaster immediately went with the sub-inspector to the goods yard, without entering the instrument room or inquiring as to the position of any trains approaching Abermule. Newtown Station then requested permission for the express to proceed. Porter Rogers pressed the release on the tablet machine for the Newtown-Abermule section which allowed it to do so. He then went to the ground frame at the west end of the station to set the points for the express, but found the frame locked against him as Jones had already "set the road" for the stopping train on the down road. While Rogers was occupied at the ground frame, Newtown signalled that the express was entering the Newtown-Abermule section, but nobody was present in the Abermule station buildings to note the signal. Before Rogers could call to Jones to release the ground frame lock, the stopping train arrived. The youth Thompson collected the tablet for the Montgomery-Abermule section from the driver of the stopping train, and was heading back to the station buildings to replace it in the tablet instrument when he met Lewis returning from the goods yard. He gave the tablet to Lewis, saying that he had to go and collect the tickets although only one passenger had alighted from the train. He did not mention that he had yet to exchange the tablet for one for the Newtown-Abermule section (which he could not have done, as the Newtown-Abermule tablet machine was locked) and also mistakenly reported that the express was still "about Moat Lane", presumably from having overheard some of Jones's earlier telephone conversation. Lewis assumed that since the express had apparently not reached Newtown, the two trains would cross at Newtown rather than Abermule, and the tablet he had just been handed was for the Newtown-Abermule section. He crossed back to the down platform and handed the tablet back to the stopping train's fireman, as the driver was oiling around the engine. Lewis gave the signal "Right away" by hand. Jones, who was also on the down platform, assumed that the express had been delayed or held at Newtown for some reason. Rogers, who was still at the ground frame, assumed the same from Lewis's actions and the frame being locked, and lowered the down advance starting signal. Lewis, Jones and Rogers did not realise the truth until the stopping train had already departed. The crew of the express were travelling at about 50 miles per hour and about to begin slowing before arriving at Abermule when they saw the stopping train on the same track. Although they immediately braked, they could not stop in time, and the crew of the stopping train did not appear to have seen them, as they continued to put on steam. The crew of the express were just able to jump clear in time, although they were both severely injured. Fifteen passengers, including a director of the railway, Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, and the driver and fireman of the stopping train were killed in the collision. After the crash, Driver Pritchard Jones of the express train was desperately concerned that he had made an error, until his fireman, Owen, had retrieved both their own correct tablet for the section and that for the Montgomery-Abermule section from the wreckage. The tablets were handed to the Traffic Controller for the Cambrian Railways, who had been travelling on the stopping train, and the Chief Traffic Inspector, who had been a passenger on the express. The Inspector took the Montgomery-Abermule tablet on foot to Abermule station and replaced it in the correct machine in the presence of witnesses, to allow a breakdown train from Oswestry to reach the scene of the crash and assist with freeing the injured. Both engines involved were 4-4-0 passenger locomotives. They were both reduced to wreckage, and written off. There was severe telescoping of the passenger carriages, especially in the express train, which caused most of the casualties. This was apparently the result of the collision occurring on a slight curve, causing the buffers to be slightly misaligned, and allowing the fourth carriage of the express to override the buffers of the third.
  • ABERMULE - Shortly before midday on 26 January 1921, a west-bound stopping train from Whitchurch and an east-bound express from Aberystwyth were approaching Abermule from opposite directions, and were due to cross there. The regular Abermule Stationmaster, Parry, was on leave and Relief Stationmaster Lewis, who was deputising for him, had gone for his lunch. The other three station staff at Abermule were Signalman Jones, Porter Rogers, who was seventeen, and a trainee booking clerk named Thompson, who was only fifteen years old. The staff at Montgomery station requested clearance for the stopping train, and Signalman Jones pressed the release on the tablet instrument for the Montgomery-Abermule section, to allow it to proceed. He then checked that the express was running to time, and was informed that it had just passed Moat Lane Junction on the far side of Newtown, as scheduled. Jones then went to the signal box to open the level crossing gates and clear the signals for the stopping train. Meanwhile, Relief Stationmaster Lewis returned from his lunch. A permanent way sub-Inspector attracted his attention with an urgent enquiry and the stationmaster immediately went with the sub-inspector to the goods yard, without entering the instrument room or inquiring as to the position of any trains approaching Abermule. Newtown Station then requested permission for the express to proceed. Porter Rogers pressed the release on the tablet machine for the Newtown-Abermule section which allowed it to do so. He then went to the ground frame at the west end of the station to set the points for the express, but found the frame locked against him as Jones had already "set the road" for the stopping train on the down road. While Rogers was occupied at the ground frame, Newtown signalled that the express was entering the Newtown-Abermule section, but nobody was present in the Abermule station buildings to note the signal. Before Rogers could call to Jones to release the ground frame lock, the stopping train arrived. The youth Thompson collected the tablet for the Montgomery-Abermule section from the driver of the stopping train, and was heading back to the station buildings to replace it in the tablet instrument when he met Lewis returning from the goods yard. He gave the tablet to Lewis, saying that he had to go and collect the tickets although only one passenger had alighted from the train. He did not mention that he had yet to exchange the tablet for one for the Newtown-Abermule section (which he could not have done, as the Newtown-Abermule tablet machine was locked) and also mistakenly reported that the express was still "about Moat Lane", presumably from having overheard some of Jones's earlier telephone conversation. Lewis assumed that since the express had apparently not reached Newtown, the two trains would cross at Newtown rather than Abermule, and the tablet he had just been handed was for the Newtown-Abermule section. He crossed back to the down platform and handed the tablet back to the stopping train's fireman, as the driver was oiling around the engine. Lewis gave the signal "Right away" by hand. Jones, who was also on the down platform, assumed that the express had been delayed or held at Newtown for some reason. Rogers, who was still at the ground frame, assumed the same from Lewis's actions and the frame being locked, and lowered the down advance starting signal. Lewis, Jones and Rogers did not realise the truth until the stopping train had already departed. The crew of the express were travelling at about 50 miles per hour and about to begin slowing before arriving at Abermule when they saw the stopping train on the same track. Although they immediately braked, they could not stop in time, and the crew of the stopping train did not appear to have seen them, as they continued to put on steam. The crew of the express were just able to jump clear in time, although they were both severely injured. Fifteen passengers, including a director of the railway, Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, and the driver and fireman of the stopping train were killed in the collision. After the crash, Driver Pritchard Jones of the express train was desperately concerned that he had made an error, until his fireman, Owen, had retrieved both their own correct tablet for the section and that for the Montgomery-Abermule section from the wreckage. The tablets were handed to the Traffic Controller for the Cambrian Railways, who had been travelling on the stopping train, and the Chief Traffic Inspector, who had been a passenger on the express. The Inspector took the Montgomery-Abermule tablet on foot to Abermule station and replaced it in the correct machine in the presence of witnesses, to allow a breakdown train from Oswestry to reach the scene of the crash and assist with freeing the injured. Both engines involved were 4-4-0 passenger locomotives. They were both reduced to wreckage, and written off. There was severe telescoping of the passenger carriages, especially in the express train, which caused most of the casualties. This was apparently the result of the collision occurring on a slight curve, causing the buffers to be slightly misaligned, and allowing the fourth carriage of the express to override the buffers of the third.
  • AIS GILL - On September 2nd, 1913, two south-bound express passenger trains were concerned in this accident. The first train, hauled by Johnson 4-4-0 N0.993 comprised 10 vehicles from Stranraer and Glasgow, overweight for a single loco of this class; the second hauled by Johnson 4-4-0 No.446 comprising 6 vehicles from Aberdeen Inverness and Edinburgh. They were due to leave Carlisle at 1.35 a.m. and 1.49 a.m. respectively. The second train overtook the first, which was at a stand-still on the up road having run out of steam due to poor coal and an overweight train, and a collision, with disastrous effects, ensued. The engine of the second express crashed through the last vehicle - a bogie brake van - of the standing train, and buried itself midway in the passenger coach in front of the van. The roof of the wrecked van, under which the engine passed cut through the three passenger compartments of the composite carriage which travelled behind the engine of the second train. Fire broke out very shortly, if not immediately, after the collision, and the last three vehicles of the first train were burnt. 14 passengers lost their lives in the collision, and their bodies were wholly or largely destroyed by fire. Two more passengers subsequently died from the effects. Thirty-eight others suffered more or less serious injuries, or have complained of the effects of shock or exposure. All the fatalities occurred to passengers travelling in the last passenger vehicle of the leading express, and those at all seriously injured were occupants either of this coach, or of the front vehicle of the second express. This picture shows loco No.446, badly burned, and one of the less damaged carriages.
  • ALTRINCHAM - Apparently, in February 1908, GCR Class 6A 0-6-0 No.394 was involved in an accident at Altrincham - and that's all I know! It evidently was badly damaged as it was not withdrawn until 1916.
  • ANDOVER - On October 6th, 1916, at midnight, the fast goods train from Salisbury to Waterloo passed Andover East signal box and crashed into several stationary trucks. The goods engine left the rails and turned over, causing severe damage to the rolling stock and the track. The driver was seriously injured and taken to the cottage hospital while the guard, a man named Aggett, collapsed and died while walking to the signal box.
  • ANDOVER - On October 6th, 1916, at midnight, the fast goods train from Salisbury to Waterloo passed Andover East signal box and crashed into several stationary trucks. The goods engine left the rails and turned over, causing severe damage to the rolling stock and the track. The driver was seriously injured and taken to the cottage hospital while the guard, a man named Aggett, collapsed and died while walking to the signal box.
  • APLINGTON, Iowa - On May 29th, 1918, five persons were killed and a dozen injured when Illinois Central Railroad passenger train No. 11, westbound, was wrecked near Aplington, thirty miles west of Nashua. The derailment occurred at the approach to a bridge over Beaver Creek. The track was weakened by the high water, the locomotive and mail car plunging onto the bank and the combination express and smoker car turned over.
  • APLINGTON, Iowa - On May 29th, 1918, five persons were killed and a dozen injured when Illinois Central Railroad passenger train No. 11, westbound, was wrecked near Aplington, thirty miles west of Nashua. The derailment occurred at the approach to a bridge over Beaver Creek. The track was weakened by the high water, the locomotive and mail car plunging onto the bank and the combination express and smoker car turned over.
  • APLINGTON, Iowa - On May 29th, 1918, five persons were killed and a dozen injured when Illinois Central Railroad passenger train No. 11, westbound, was wrecked near Aplington, thirty miles west of Nashua. The derailment occurred at the approach to a bridge over Beaver Creek. The track was weakened by the high water, the locomotive and mail car plunging onto the bank and the combination express and smoker car turned over.
  • ASHTABULA, Ohio - The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Train No. 5, The Pacific Express, left Erie, Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of December 29, 1876 in deep snow. Two locomotives, "Socrates" and "Columbia", were hauling 11 railcars, including two express cars, two baggage cars, one smoking car, two passenger cars, three sleeping cars and a caboose, that carried 159 passengers. At about 7:30 pm, the train was crossing over the Ashtabula River about 300m from the railroad station at Ashtabula, Ohio, when the bridge gave way beneath it. The lead locomotive made it across the bridge, while the second locomotive and the rest of the train plunged 23m into the water. Some cars landed in an upright position. The wooden cars were set alight by the heating stoves and lamps and soon small, localized fires became an inferno. Of 159 passengers and crew on board that night, 92 were killed or died later from injuries. Forty-eight of the fatalities were unrecognizable or consumed in the flames. Sixty-four people were injured. The crash was heard in the town and the alarm was raised. By the time the townspeople reached the bridge the wounded passengers had made their way to the shore and the fire was burning fiercely. When the Ashtabula Fire Brigade arrived, the immediate instructions from railroad employees were to get the wounded out and to clear a pathway up the side of the ravine. After this no water was put onto the fire, even after reports of survivors still trapped in the wreck. The survivors were led, carried and conveyed on sleds to hotels and private houses in the town, there being no hospital. However, people assisting also stole money and valuables from the survivors and dead, $1,500 being returned following investigation by detectives and after the mayor had made a proclamation. The dead were moved the following morning. The railroad bridge was re-built with temporary underpinning. The cause of the accident was an inherent weakness in the bridge, a tried wooden design built in iron.
  • BARTLOW - Filmed in darkest Cambridgeshire rather than in the steamy jungles of Malaya, the feature film VIRGIN SOLDIERS (1969) was partly made on the Saffron Walden - Bartlow branch. The line had closed in 1964 but some of the track was still in situ. Columbia purchased Black Five No.44781 straight from BR service and the 15 Guinera Special and in full working order, together with four LMS designed Stanier coaches. 44781 was towed from Carnforth to Cambridge shortly after the end of BR steam. She was still in working order and arrived in the south in as-withdrawn condition. The rolling stock is thought to have arrived at Cambridge separately and was also in as-withdrawn condition. Two other vehicles were also involved; one being a brake of some sort with the other being Derby Lightweight DMU car No.E79253, a driving trailer composite. The rolling stock was taken down the line and not derailed but carefully positioned by crane. 44781, much modified to resemble a tank engine but no other existing locomotive, was also lifted off the tracks by crane, the front end supported on a stack of sleepers covered in earth. After filming was completed, everything was just left in situ and 44781 and the coaches were scrapped in 1969 where they lay by King's of Norwich, who then removed the remainder of the track. Coaching stock and loco tender still in situ at the conclusion of filming.
  • BARTLOW - Filmed in darkest Cambridgeshire rather than in the steamy jungles of Malaya, the feature film VIRGIN SOLDIERS (1969) was partly made on the Saffron Walden - Bartlow branch. The line had closed in 1964 but some of the track was still in situ. Columbia purchased Black Five No.44781 straight from BR service and the 15 Guinera Special and in full working order, together with four LMS designed Stanier coaches. 44781 was towed from Carnforth to Cambridge shortly after the end of BR steam. She was still in working order and arrived in the south in as-withdrawn condition. The rolling stock is thought to have arrived at Cambridge separately and was also in as-withdrawn condition. Two other vehicles were also involved; one being a brake of some sort with the other being Derby Lightweight DMU car No.E79253, a driving trailer composite. The rolling stock was taken down the line and not derailed but carefully positioned by crane. 44781, much modified to resemble a tank engine but no other existing locomotive, was also lifted off the tracks by crane, the front end supported on a stack of sleepers covered in earth. After filming was completed, everything was just left in situ and 44781 and the coaches were scrapped in 1969 where they lay by King's of Norwich, who then removed the remainder of the track. Here we see 44781, after the coaching stock had been removed but with the track still 'blown up'.
  • BARTLOW - Filmed in darkest Cambridgeshire rather than in the steamy jungles of Malaya, the feature film VIRGIN SOLDIERS (1969) was partly made on the Saffron Walden - Bartlow branch. The line had closed in 1964 but some of the track was still in situ. Columbia purchased Black Five No.44781 straight from BR service and the 15 Guinera Special and in full working order, together with four LMS designed Stanier coaches. 44781 was towed from Carnforth to Cambridge shortly after the end of BR steam. She was still in working order and arrived in the south in as-withdrawn condition. The rolling stock is thought to have arrived at Cambridge separately and was also in as-withdrawn condition. Two other vehicles were also involved; one being a brake of some sort with the other being Derby Lightweight DMU car No.E79253, a driving trailer composite. The rolling stock was taken down the line and not derailed but carefully positioned by crane. 44781, much modified to resemble a tank engine but no other existing locomotive, was also lifted off the tracks by crane, the front end supported on a stack of sleepers covered in earth. After filming was completed, everything was just left in situ and 44781 and the coaches were scrapped in 1969 where they lay by King's of Norwich, who then removed the remainder of the track. This still from the film shows the positioning of the loco and stock well.
  • BELLGROVE - On March 6th, 1989, two Class 303 commuter trains crashed on the Springburn branch of the North Clyde Line, just east of Bellgrove station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. Two people were killed and 53 injured. The accident was caused primarily by a Signal passed at danger (SPAD) in conjunction with the single-lead junction track layout, where two lines converged into one just beyond the platform end and then diverged again – a layout which is simpler to maintain but is vulnerable in the event of a SPAD. The collision was at 80mph as both trains were travelling at 40mph. The force of the impact was so severe that at least one passenger was thrown out his seat and completely destroyed one of the "A" frame back to back seats.
  • BELLGROVE - On March 6th, 1989, two Class 303 commuter trains crashed on the Springburn branch of the North Clyde Line, just east of Bellgrove station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. Two people were killed and 53 injured. The accident was caused primarily by a Signal passed at danger (SPAD) in conjunction with the single-lead junction track layout, where two lines converged into one just beyond the platform end and then diverged again – a layout which is simpler to maintain but is vulnerable in the event of a SPAD. The collision was at 80mph as both trains were travelling at 40mph. The force of the impact was so severe that at least one passenger was thrown out his seat and completely destroyed one of the "A" frame back to back seats.
  • BELLGROVE - On March 6th, 1989, two Class 303 commuter trains crashed on the Springburn branch of the North Clyde Line, just east of Bellgrove station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. Two people were killed and 53 injured. The accident was caused primarily by a Signal passed at danger (SPAD) in conjunction with the single-lead junction track layout, where two lines converged into one just beyond the platform end and then diverged again – a layout which is simpler to maintain but is vulnerable in the event of a SPAD. The collision was at 80mph as both trains were travelling at 40mph. The force of the impact was so severe that at least one passenger was thrown out his seat and completely destroyed one of the "A" frame back to back seats.
  • BELLGROVE - On March 6th, 1989, two Class 303 commuter trains crashed on the Springburn branch of the North Clyde Line, just east of Bellgrove station in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. Two people were killed and 53 injured. The accident was caused primarily by a Signal passed at danger (SPAD) in conjunction with the single-lead junction track layout, where two lines converged into one just beyond the platform end and then diverged again – a layout which is simpler to maintain but is vulnerable in the event of a SPAD. The collision was at 80mph as both trains were travelling at 40mph. The force of the impact was so severe that at least one passenger was thrown out his seat and completely destroyed one of the "A" frame back to back seats.
  • BOOTH'S SCRAPYARD, Rotherham - 47291, built in March 1966 as D1993 and withdrawn in August 1998, and 37225, built in February 1964 as D6925 and withdrawn, officially, in February 2004, but actually taken out of traffic in April 1999, await the final blow on Booth's scrapyard in April 2004 - it was not to be long in coming!
  • BOOTH'S SCRAPYARD, Rotherham - 47476 - BR Class 47 Co-Co DE - built 07/64 by Crewe Works as BR No.D1604 - 04/74 to BR No.47476 - 02/00 withdrawn - 04/04 scrapped by Booth's, Rotherham.
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