1990 Stafford rail crash

The train crash at Stafford, England on 4 August 1990 resulted in the death of a train driver and injuries to 36 people.

The 11:36 pm empty coaching stock train from Stoke-on-Trent to Birmingham Soho TMD ran into the rear of the 10:18 pm express passenger train from Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance, which was standing in platform 4 at Stafford station. The empty train was signalled to draw up behind the express in order to clear the way for another train.^[1]

The driver of the empty train, who was the only fatality, was considered not to have kept a good lookout. This was possibly compounded by excessive working hours and by the alcohol that was subsequently found in his bloodstream.^[2]

The Rule Book was changed to avoid this situation. Now if a train is to be signalled into an occupied section and that train is not booked to call at that location, the driver must be first advised. Also before a train can be signalled behind another, the signal ahead of the stationary train must be at danger until the second train has come to a stand, to avoid potential 'over-reading' of the signal by the second driver.

See also

• List of British rail accidents

References

External links

• Official accident report, courtesy of The Railways Archive

52°48′12″N 2°7′21″W / 52.80333°N 2.12250°W / 52.80333; -2.12250

This England rail transport related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

This article about a rail accident is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e