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 17 September 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, a 2-4-0 of the Precedent class 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 by Horatio Arthur Yorke to the driver for not applying for a pilot at Chester. The confusing signalling at the junction was also criticised.
The Railways Archive :: Report by Lieutenant-Colonel Yorke, R.E., C.B., on the Accident that occurred on 17 September 1912, to a Passenger Train at Ditton Junction, on the London and North Western Railway
External linksedit
Photograph showing the site of the Ditton Junction Disaster
December 20, 2023
ditton, junction, rail, crash, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2022, learn, when, remove, this, temp. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 17 September 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 a 2 4 0 of the Precedent class 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 Ditton Junction rail crashDetailsDate17 September 1912LocationDitton JunctionCoordinates53 21 23 N 2 46 09 W 53 35634 N 2 76918 W 53 35634 2 76918CountryEnglandLineLondon and North Western RailwayCauseDriver misread signalsStatisticsTrains1Deaths15List of UK rail accidents by yearBlame was attributed by Horatio Arthur Yorke to the driver for not applying for a pilot at Chester The confusing signalling at the junction was also criticised Sources editRolt L T C Kichenside Geoffrey 1982 1955 Red for Danger 4th ed Newton Abbot David amp Charles pp 173 174 ISBN 0 7153 8362 0 The Railways Archive Report by Lieutenant Colonel Yorke R E C B on the Accident that occurred on 17 September 1912 to a Passenger Train at Ditton Junction on the London and North Western RailwayExternal links editPhotograph showing the site of the Ditton Junction Disaster Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ditton Junction rail crash amp oldid 1190577897, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
