OFF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW
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DONEMANA - (4) Donemana Station was a passing place about midway between Londonderry and Strabane on the County Donegal Railway Joint Committee System. On September 7th, 1913, the 9 pm. down passenger train from Londonderry Victoria Road to Strabane, headed by Class 5 2-6-4T No.19 LETTERKENNY, was entering the loop points at the north end of Donemana Station, when the engine and two first carriages left the rails and overturned, and the three remaining vehicles were derailed. One passenger, a railway servant not on duty, was killed, a second was very seriously injured, and five others suffered more or less severely from bruises or the effects of shock. There was speed limit of 6 mph on this junction and it was estimated that the train was travelling at between 30 and 40 mph when it crashed. The train crew was subsequently prosecuted.
Here, in picture No.1 of a series of 10, we see the rescue train headed by Class 4 4-6-4T No.14 ERNE with the wrecked coach on it's side and the loco behind it. The singalbox had a miraculous escape!