1. OFF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW
  2. 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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DARLTON QUARRY, STONEY MIDDLETON - (4) Filming had been underway for some months for the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This film features a train crash and this locomotive was especially built for this scene. Based on the plans of a BR 'Britannia' Class Pacific with modification to make it look more French, it is said to have cost well over a million pounds to build. It has a small diesel engine in the tender to move slowly and a steam generator in the boiler. It was pushed down a specially laid track at Darlton Quarry, Stone Middleton, Derbyshire, on Friday August 20th, 2021, to be destroyed when it hit the quarry floor. What a complete waste! They could have built a real one for just a few quid more, CGI'd the scene in the film and donated it to a heritage group when filming was over. I'll bet that heritage groups wish they could find that much money that easily.
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DARLTON QUARRY, STONEY MIDDLETON - (4) Filming had been underway for some months for the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This film features a train crash and this locomotive was especially built for this scene. Based on the plans of a BR 'Britannia' Class Pacific with modification to make it look more French, it is said to have cost well over a million pounds to build. It has a small diesel engine in the tender to move slowly and a steam generator in the boiler. It was pushed down a specially laid track at Darlton Quarry, Stone Middleton, Derbyshire, on Friday August 20th, 2021, to be destroyed when it hit the quarry floor. What a complete waste! They could have built a real one for just a few quid more, CGI'd the scene in the film and donated it to a heritage group when filming was over. I'll bet that heritage groups wish they could find that much money that easily.

  • CROWLE - Quoted from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of Saturday, October 15th, 1904: 'An accident which will seriously delay the completion of the large swing bridge for the Isle of Axholme Railway that is to span the Keadby Canal at Crowle Wharf, occurred on Friday afternoon. A large steam crane, fixed close to the parapet of the bridge was being used to place sections of the steel work in position, when it overbalanced whilst hauling one of the main girders weighing about four tons. With the engine and girder it fell crashing over the side of the bridge into the Soak dyke below. The dyke is both wide and deep and the engine fell head foremost, being nearly submerged, both being damaged. It is expected that a new girder will have to be manufactured and the delay in completing the bridge will be cnosiderable. The brickwork was also torn away but luckily no one was injured.'
  • CUDWORTH - On January 19th, 1905, in thick fog, the 2.25 a.m. up mail train (Leeds to Sheffield) was travelling between Cudworth and Darfield stations, when the 3.5 a.m. up express train (Leeds to St. Pancras) running at high speed passed signals at danger and overtook it. The wreckage caught fire and virtually the entirety of both trains was consumed. Four passengers, a railway guard and a fireman, all of whom were in the express, were killed on the spot. Thirteen passengers, of whom one later died from the effects of injuries received, and five railway employees suffered more or less severely from shock or injury.
  • CUDWORTH - On January 19th, 1905, in thick fog, the 2.25 a.m. up mail train (Leeds to Sheffield) was travelling between Cudworth and Darfield stations, when the 3.5 a.m. up express train (Leeds to St. Pancras) running at high speed passed signals at danger and overtook it. The wreckage caught fire and virtually the entirety of both trains was consumed. Four passengers, a railway guard and a fireman, all of whom were in the express, were killed on the spot. Thirteen passengers, of whom one later died from the effects of injuries received, and five railway employees suffered more or less severely from shock or injury.
  • CYFRONYDD - On April 5th, 2018, No.823 COUNTESS was passing over the level crossing at Cyfronydd Station on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway when it collided with a red Chevrolet car. The driver of the car escaped unharmed, along with the 77 passengers and crew on board the train. However significant damage was caused to the car and the locomotive. Operations were suspended and Dyfed-Powys Police attended the scene. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch was informed and despite being cleared to resume operations, services for the remainder of Thursday were cancelled and passengers were taken on buses back to different stations.
  • D1703 - BR Brush Class 48 Type 4 Co-Co - built 09/65 by Brush Traction, Loughborough - 11/70 converted from Class 48 to Class 47 - 10/73 to BR No.47115 - 04/91 withdrawn from Stratford TMD - seen here at Peterborough in about 1969 after a shunting accident. Apologies about the picture quality - it was taken by my 11 year old brother on an Instamatic.
  • D5383 - BR Class 27 Bo-Bo DE - built 04/62 by Birmingham Carriage & Wagon Works - On August 20th, 1965, the 1845 hrs freight train from Leicester to Wellingborough, which was seriously overloaded, failed to stop on the falling gradient in the Up direction towards East Langton and ran into the preceding Up freight train from Coalville to Wellingborough, which was starting from the Home signal for that box. Speed was not high hut the weight of the train behind D5383 on the Leicester train drove it forward into the rear of the train in front causing the engine to capsize and its front to be severely damaged. It then caught fire. The driver was killed but the fireman suffered only from shock. The guard of the colliding train also suffered from shock. D5383, only 3 years old, was a complete write-off, was officially withdrawn in January 1966 and scrapped at Cashmore's, Great Bridge, in July 1967.
  • DALWHINNIE - At about 0300 on April 10th, 2021, ScotRail HST set HA19 composed of power cars 43012 and 43015 and 5 coaches, derailed at the south end of Dalwhinnie Station. The train was a test train being manned by the Rail Operations Group carrying out clearance tests on the line from Perth, so there were no passengers on board. As the train passed over a set of crossovers at a speed of 33mph, the rear coach and power car, 43012, derailed. Permitted speed on this crossover is 15mph and it is not permitted to be used in this direction. Both sets of points changed although the signals were not pulled off and all instruments in the signalbox indicated that they had not been changed. There was not much damage to the train and it was rerailed and returned to Haymarket Depot on April 18th after RAIB investigations. To enable the line t be reopened quickly, the damaged crossover was removed and replaced with plain track, the line reopening on April 15th.
  • DALWHINNIE - At about 0300 on April 10th, 2021, ScotRail HST set HA19 composed of power cars 43012 and 43015 and 5 coaches, derailed at the south end of Dalwhinnie Station. The train was a test train being manned by the Rail Operations Group carrying out clearance tests on the line from Perth, so there were no passengers on board. As the train passed over a set of crossovers at a speed of 33mph, the rear coach and power car, 43012, derailed. Permitted speed on this crossover is 15mph and it is not permitted to be used in this direction. Both sets of points changed although the signals were not pulled off and all instruments in the signalbox indicated that they had not been changed. There was not much damage to the train and it was rerailed and returned to Haymarket Depot on April 18th after RAIB investigations. To enable the line t be reopened quickly, the damaged crossover was removed and replaced with plain track, the line reopening on April 15th.
  • DARLINGTON - The Darlington rail accident occurred on June 28th, 1928, when a parcels train and an excursion train collided head on at Darlington Bank Top station. The accident was caused by the parcels train driver passing a signal at danger, due to misunderstanding the signalling layout in an unfamiliar part of the station. This accident resulted in the deaths of 25 people and the serious injury of 45 people. Here we see telescoped coaches from the excursion train, this being one of the inherent weaknesses of wooden-bodied rolling stock.
  • DARLTON QUARRY, STONEY MIDDLETON - (1) Filming had been underway for some months for the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This film features a train crash and this locomotive was especially built for this scene. Based on the plans of a BR 'Britannia' Class Pacific with modification to make it look more French, it is said to have cost well over a million pounds to build. It has a small diesel engine in the tender to move slowly and a steam generator in the boiler. It was pushed down a specially laid track at Darlton Quarry, Stone Middleton, Derbyshire, on Friday August 20th, 2021, to be destroyed when it hit the quarry floor. Here we see it simmering gently as all is prepared. Obviously, it had to be right because only one take was possible.
  • DARLTON QUARRY, STONEY MIDDLETON - (2) Filming had been underway for some months for the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This film features a train crash and this locomotive was especially built for this scene. Based on the plans of a BR 'Britannia' Class Pacific with modification to make it look more French, it is said to have cost well over a million pounds to build. It has a small diesel engine in the tender to move slowly and a steam generator in the boiler. It was pushed down a specially laid track at Darlton Quarry, Stone Middleton, Derbyshire, on Friday August 20th, 2021, to be destroyed when it hit the quarry floor. Heading at seed towards the end of the track and on to the gantry which will, I am sure, look like a collapsed bridge in the film.
  • DARLTON QUARRY, STONEY MIDDLETON - (3) Filming had been underway for some months for the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This film features a train crash and this locomotive was especially built for this scene. Based on the plans of a BR 'Britannia' Class Pacific with modification to make it look more French, it is said to have cost well over a million pounds to build. It has a small diesel engine in the tender to move slowly and a steam generator in the boiler. It was pushed down a specially laid track at Darlton Quarry, Stone Middleton, Derbyshire, on Friday August 20th, 2021, to be destroyed when it hit the quarry floor. Thar she blows! It's all downhill from here on.
  • DARLTON QUARRY, STONEY MIDDLETON - (4) Filming had been underway for some months for the latest installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This film features a train crash and this locomotive was especially built for this scene. Based on the plans of a BR 'Britannia' Class Pacific with modification to make it look more French, it is said to have cost well over a million pounds to build. It has a small diesel engine in the tender to move slowly and a steam generator in the boiler. It was pushed down a specially laid track at Darlton Quarry, Stone Middleton, Derbyshire, on Friday August 20th, 2021, to be destroyed when it hit the quarry floor. What a complete waste! They could have built a real one for just a few quid more, CGI'd the scene in the film and donated it to a heritage group when filming was over. I'll bet that heritage groups wish they could find that much money that easily.
  • DERBY - 42636 - Stanier LMS Class 4MT 2-6-4T - built 10/38 by Derby Works as LMS No.2636 - withdrawn 05/63 from 16A Nottingham after it fell into the turntable pit at Derby, 24/04/63 - seen here after recovery.
  • DERBY - 42636 - Stanier LMS Class 4MT 2-6-4T - built 10/38 by Derby Works as LMS No.2636 - withdrawn 05/63 from 16A Nottingham after it fell into the turntable pit at Derby, 24/04/63 - seen here after recovery.
  • DEREHAM - One December 9th, 2020, the three constituent parts of Pacer Class 144 018 were delivered by road to Dereham Station on the Mid-Norfolk Railway for preservation. On December 10th, at about 1600 hours, whilst being winched off the low loader trailer that it had arrived on, centre car no.55854 broke away and ran through the level crossing gates and across the adjacent Norwich Road. 55854 does not appear to have been much damaged by the experience. The incident is to be investigated by the RAIB.
  • DEVONS ROAD - On March 12th, 1900, North London Railway Adams 4-4-0T No.46 ran into the back of a stationary goods train due to a signalling error. There were no fatalities but 34 people were injured on the passenger train.
  • DITTON JUNCTION - Ditton Junction is near Widnes on the Liverpool spur of the former London and North Western Railway. This complex junction had eight running lines and associated signal gantries. On  September 17th, 1912, the 17:30 Chester to Liverpool express was signalled to cross from the fast to the slow line, but the driver, Robert Hughes, age 41, from Llangwstenin, Conwy, who had little experience of the junction and had never been switched here before, misread the signals and thought he had a clear run through. The crossover had a speed limit of 15 mph but the train hit it at 60 mph. The locomotive, 2-4-0 Precedent Class No.1529 COOK,  turned on its side and travelled some distance, striking the pier of an overbridge (partially demolishing it) and breaking in two. The six carriages following ploughed over the engine and were all destroyed - forming a heap of wreckage between the station platforms. Punctured gaslighting cylinders ignited, turning the scene into an inferno. The driver, fireman and 13 passengers were killed. Blame was attributed to the driver for not applying for a pilot at Chester. The confusing signalling at the junction was also criticised. The mangled remains of No.1529 COOK being recovered.
  • DITTON JUNCTION - Ditton Junction is near Widnes on the Liverpool spur of the former London and North Western Railway. This complex junction had eight running lines and associated signal gantries. On  September 17th, 1912, the 17:30 Chester to Liverpool express was signalled to cross from the fast to the slow line, but the driver, Robert Hughes, age 41, from Llangwstenin, Conwy, who had little experience of the junction and had never been switched here before, misread the signals and thought he had a clear run through. The crossover had a speed limit of 15 mph but the train hit it at 60 mph. The locomotive, 2-4-0 Precedent Class No.1529 COOK,  turned on its side and travelled some distance, striking the pier of an overbridge (partially demolishing it) and breaking in two. The six carriages following ploughed over the engine and were all destroyed - forming a heap of wreckage between the station platforms. Punctured gaslighting cylinders ignited, turning the scene into an inferno. The driver, fireman and 13 passengers were killed. Blame was attributed to the driver for not applying for a pilot at Chester. The confusing signalling at the junction was also criticised. The mangled remains of No.1529 COOK being recovered.
  • DOLLANDS MOOR - At about 0339 on Tuesday September 4th, 2018, a train arriving at Dollands Moor freight yard struck a small petrol powered buggy which was stationary on a level crossing.  The train driver only became aware of the buggy shortly before the accident and was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision.  These small buggies are provided to transport staff and equipment around the extensive site.  A subway, which could accommodate the buggies, was provided at each end of the yard to allow staff access to individual sidings without crossing any tracks.  Level crossings were also provided for emergency use by vehicles after railway signals had been set to stop trains approaching the crossings.  By 2014, only one of the two subways remained open, but lighting in this subway had failed.  Use of this subway was not enforced so most shunters chose to drive across the level crossings instead. There were no barriers, signs or written instructions indicating that vehicles were not allowed to use the level crossings unless signals were being used to stop any approaching trains. The injured shunter started work at Dollands Moor yard in 2018 and had been trained to cross the sidings using the level crossings without signal protection. It has been found that the buggy driver was unaware he was in an unsafe position, but there is insufficient evidence to determine why.  The investigation also found that custom and practice at Dollands Moor yard had normalised use of the level crossings by buggies without signals being used to stop approaching trains, and that the buggy was not conspicuous so the train driver could not see it until it was too late to avoid an accident.  The underlying factor was that DB Cargo’s management of the use of buggies, subways and level crossings at Dollands Moor yard was inadequate.
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