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.
Read More
NEWRY - I can't seem to find much detail on this. Class 141 No.148 was stopped and hijacked by the IRA as it crossed the border in September 1979. They ordered the crew off and then set the train to run away. Three miles later, it derailed near Newry and completely blocked the mainline.
323 / 507

NEWRY - I can't seem to find much detail on this. Class 141 No.148 was stopped and hijacked by the IRA as it crossed the border in September 1979. They ordered the crew off and then set the train to run away. Three miles later, it derailed near Newry and completely blocked the mainline.

  • NEW ENGLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT - Quite what happened here I do not know but I suspect it was over zealous parking! In February 1964, Class 46 D177 has come through the wall into the repair shed inflicting considerable damage to both itself and the Class 08's under repair. Fortunately, all of the damage was easily repaired.
  • NEW ENGLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT - Quite what happened here I do not know but I suspect it was over zealous parking! In February 1964, Class 46 D177 has come through the wall into the repair shed inflicting considerable damage to both itself and the Class 08's under repair. Fortunately, all of the damage was easily repaired.
  • NEWRY - I can't seem to find much detail on this. Class 141 No.148 was stopped and hijacked by the IRA as it crossed the border in September 1979. They ordered the crew off and then set the train to run away. Three miles later, it derailed near Newry and completely blocked the mainline.
  • NEW SOUTHGATE - The 7.50 p.m. Express Passenger train from Edinburgh, comprising 11 bogie coaches hauled by 60508 DUKE OF ROTHESAY, was travelling at about 70 m.p.h. through a short tunnel on the straight Up Fast line when the trailing bogie wheels of the engine became derailed. Derailment of the leading bogie wheels followed at the V crossing of a facing connection 689 yards ahead, outside the tunnel, after which the whole train became derailed as the track was destroyed by the engine bogie. The engine broke away from the train when the tender screw coupling parted, overturned to the right, and slid on its side for about 100 yards through an overbridge, coming to rest 1145 yards from the initial point of derailment. The fireman was killed, but there were no serious casualties in the crowded train, though the leading vehicle, a corridor brake third, was also overturned and considerably damaged; all the Buckeye couplings between the coaches held fast and the remaining ten came to rest upright and in line with very little damage except to bogies and undergear. One passenger was detained in hospital for two days and nine others sustained minor injuries or shock; the driver was also slightly injured.
  • NEW SOUTHGATE - The 7.50 p.m. Express Passenger train from Edinburgh, comprising 11 bogie coaches hauled by 60508 DUKE OF ROTHESAY, was travelling at about 70 m.p.h. through a short tunnel on the straight Up Fast line when the trailing bogie wheels of the engine became derailed. Derailment of the leading bogie wheels followed at the V crossing of a facing connection 689 yards ahead, outside the tunnel, after which the whole train became derailed as the track was destroyed by the engine bogie. The engine broke away from the train when the tender screw coupling parted, overturned to the right, and slid on its side for about 100 yards through an overbridge, coming to rest 1145 yards from the initial point of derailment. The fireman was killed, but there were no serious casualties in the crowded train, though the leading vehicle, a corridor brake third, was also overturned and considerably damaged; all the Buckeye couplings between the coaches held fast and the remaining ten came to rest upright and in line with very little damage except to bogies and undergear. One passenger was detained in hospital for two days and nine others sustained minor injuries or shock; the driver was also slightly injured.
  • NEW SOUTHGATE - The 7.50 p.m. Express Passenger train from Edinburgh, comprising 11 bogie coaches hauled by 60508 DUKE OF ROTHESAY, was travelling at about 70 m.p.h. through a short tunnel on the straight Up Fast line when the trailing bogie wheels of the engine became derailed. Derailment of the leading bogie wheels followed at the V crossing of a facing connection 689 yards ahead, outside the tunnel, after which the whole train became derailed as the track was destroyed by the engine bogie. The engine broke away from the train when the tender screw coupling parted, overturned to the right, and slid on its side for about 100 yards through an overbridge, coming to rest 1145 yards from the initial point of derailment. The fireman was killed, but there were no serious casualties in the crowded train, though the leading vehicle, a corridor brake third, was also overturned and considerably damaged; all the Buckeye couplings between the coaches held fast and the remaining ten came to rest upright and in line with very little damage except to bogies and undergear. One passenger was detained in hospital for two days and nine others sustained minor injuries or shock; the driver was also slightly injured. Here we see 60113 GREAT NORTHERN passing the stranded 60508 DUKE OF ROTHESAY on a Down express.
  • NEW YORK, NEW HAVEN & HARTFORD RAILROAD - Evidently there were some braking problems on this locomotive!
  • NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY - A bridge, location unknown, washed away by flood water.
  • NORTH WALSHAM - 666 - Worsdell GER Class M15 2-4-2T - built 06/885 by Stratford Works - 1924 to LNER No.7666 - 03/26 withdrawn - derailed in the GER station in 1910 and apparently all of the passengers standing on the track! HSE, where are you?
  • NORWICH - On May 23rd, 1990, police and fire crews were called to the sidings at Norwich Station where they found a rake of 5 disused carriages firmly ablaze. It took fire crews nearly an hour to get the fire under control, leaving one coached destroyed and four badly damaged. British Transport Police strongly suspected arson.
  • NORWOOD JUNCTION - On November 13th, 1981, two commuter trains with more than 600 passengers on board collided at Norwood Junction. The trains involved were the 0823 Beckenham - Victoria and 0822 West Croydon - London Bridge. There were two minor injuries. The EMU's involved were 4SUB No.4725 (right) and 4EPB No.5007 (left).
  • NUNEATON - 86 242 JAMES KENNEDY GC - BR/EE Class 86 Bo-Bo AC Electric - built 01/66 by Doncaster Works as E3138 - 1973 to 86 242 - withdrawn 10/04 from Norwich Crown Point - seen here at Nuneaton, 06/06/75, after derailing entering a 20mph temporary speed limit at 70mph, 6 dead.
  • OAKLEY - On January 21st, 1938, a train of empty stock from Bradford arrived at Oakley Junction drawn by Class 5MT 'Crab' No. 2893 with driver Cox in charge. The instructions from "Control" were that the stock was to be stabled on the Way and Works siding of the Northampton branch, but as some vehicles were already standing there, the signalman J. Finnerty found that only one half of the train could be accommodated. A further movement onto the main line would therefore be necessary to enable the coaches to be shunted onto an adjoining siding. This movement had to be delayed until the clearance of an up express at 1446. In the meantime Guard Turner of the empty train had gone to the signal box to discuss the matters with Finnerty. After spending some time in conversation Turner departed to find a scotch to place against the wheels of the stabled section of his train. So far all was well, and it only remained to await the 1410 St Pancras to Bradford express which was due to pass the junction at 1500. For some reason Finnerty then decided to bring out the empty stock onto the up main line, and from that moment things began to go wrong. The movement of the train, if unwise, would have been in order if Finnerty had blocked back to signalman Neale at Bromham signal box to explain the position, but he did not do so. He then displayed a green flag to Cox permitting him to emerge from the siding, but Cox moved forward only a few yards as guard Turner was missing, and then stopped. The movement of a few yards was decisive as the engine now stood on track circuit TC 886 which had the effect of locking the points in position and also the main line signals at danger. Neale now offered the Bradford express to Finnerty who accepted it thus breaking Regulation 4(f) which ruled "permission for a following train may be given only if the points are set for the train to pass". Finnerty now went to lower the main line signals but found the levers locked; he tried to reset the points but these levers were also locked. He vainly tried to get Cox to move back, but he could have broken a seal and released the grip of TC 886.<br /> Driver H. J. Hudson of the Bradford express was in charge of 'Jubilee' Class No.5568 WESTERN AUSTRALIA. He passed Bromham box with a clear road at 75 mph and then saw Oakley Junction distant signal at caution. He accordingly made a partial application on the brakes, and when he saw the home signal at danger he made a full application. But even with modern powerful brakes an express travelling at high speed requires some distance to stop, and the express was still travelling at 25 mph when the engines collided. The leading coaches of the Bradford train were thrown all over the place and three persons died and eight were injured.<br /> The Ministry of Transport enquiry was presided over by Colonel E. Woodhouse who arrived at the following conclusions:<br /> Finnerty had lost his head; he could have blocked back to Bromham box as the express was still four miles away.<br /> Driver Hudson should have made an earlier application of the brake.<br /> Guard Turner wasted too much time. He could have telephoned the box from the siding, but instead spent 23 minutes away from his train.
  • OAKLEY - On October 4th, 1949, the 1.35 pm. freight train, Wellingborough to Brent, travelling on the Up Goods line under clear signals, collided at about 30 m.p.h. with the rear of the 12.40 p.m. freight train, also Wellingborough to Brent, the brakevan of which was standing on Oakley Viaduct near Mile post 531. The engine and 14 loaded coal wagons of the 1.35 p m. train plunged over the viaduct and came to rest on the bank of the River Ouse, 25 ft. below. The driver and the fireman were killed instantly. The brakevan and five wagons of the 12.40 pm. train were derailed, the wreckage piling up on the Down Goods line. Two hundred men were engaged on Wednesday in clearing the upturned trucks which blocked the lines and a stretch of 100 yards of prefabricated line was laid. The damage caused by the collision will not be easily forgotten. The engine hurtling over the viaduct smashed through the 18 inch thick wall of the bridge causing a gap fully 30 yards long. In the field below hundreds of tons of coal from loaded tricks of both trains were heaped on top of the wrecked engine, wagons blocked the goods lines, others were dangling over the bridge, and more trucks were smashed on top of the coal. A twisted rail hung down over the viaduct, a telegraph pole by the bridge had been mangled to pulp and huge chunks of masonry littered the field. The smashed engine gave the appearance of having been battered by a giant hammer, and massive steel wheels of the wagons were clustered oddly around the debris. Burning lumps of coal had been catapulted 50 yards from the bridge.
  • OCEAN SIDINGS, Plymouth - Withdrawn Class 50's in a row at the seaside in April 1991. They are 50042 TRIUMPH, preserved, 50040 LEVIATHAN, scrapped at Sims Metals, 50045 ACHILLES, scrapped at Booth's, 50026 INDOMITABLE, preserved, 50043 EAGLE, broken for spares and 50020 REVENGE, scrapped at Booth's.
  • OCEAN SIDINGS, Plymouth - Withdrawn Class 50's in a row at the seaside in April 1991. They are 50042 TRIUMPH, preserved, 50040 LEVIATHAN, scrapped at Sims Metals, 50045 ACHILLES, scrapped at Booth's, 50026 INDOMITABLE, preserved, 50043 EAGLE, broken for spares and 50020 REVENGE, scrapped at Booth's. Same lot in reverse order on the same day.
  • OLD DALBY - 46 009 - BR Class 46 Type 4 1-Co-Co-1 DE - built 12/61 by Derby Works as D146 - 1973 to 46 009 - withdrawn 10/83 from Gateshead TMD - 17/07/84 destroyed in staged 90mph accident with nuclear flask at Old Dalby test track.
  • OLD OAK COMMON - 33 064 in post-collision condition, withdrawn at Old Oak Common, 26/09/96. This loco was withdrawn 10/94 and broken up in situ 07/97.
  • OLD OAK COMMON - 33 064 in post-collision condition, withdrawn at Old Oak Common, 26/09/96. This loco was withdrawn 10/94 and broken up in situ 07/97.
  • ONGAR - In 1934 a J15 Class locomotive, 7902, crashed into the bufferstops at the end of the line in Ongar. A down goods was observed by the signalman approaching out of control. He diverted it on to the run-round loop and the embankment beyond the stops proved an effective drag. The driver and fireman jumped from the footplate. No harm was done except for minor injuries to one of the footplate crew.
  • Photo Sharing
  • About SmugMug
  • Browse Photos
  • Prints & Gifts
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Owner Log In
© 2022 SmugMug, Inc.