Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. In the background can be seen the structures of the replacement station, today's "Eltham", taking shape. The rear end of the first coach came to rest up against the leading cab. This item is linked to the Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972. Those who knew the driver said that he was quite a frequent drinker of alcohol and could "carry" much beer. The last recommendation that Robertson made regarding the accident was the usage of telephone to sign on duty within the Southern Region. Well Hall Road had accommodated a tramway route until July 1952, when all such services within London were withdrawn. Further Reading The Report for the crash was released on 1 June 1973 and it quite clearly showed that the accident was caused entirely by the actions of Robert Wilsdon, in that he had "grossly impaired his ability to drive safely by drinking a considerable quantity of alcohol both before and after booking on duty". The original death roll among the passengers was three but one died of her injuries in mid-August and another of his injuries in November. The pair had three pints of light and bitter each with Wilsdon possibly drinking another half pint of light ale, according to the evidence of club staff who served him. The Inspecting Officer, Colonel J.R.H. Arundell believed that they were a gift left by the organisers of the excursion to the engine crew - such being a normal 'tip' for excursion drivers to enjoy off-duty - and he did not question their appearance. News Stories By the time the train approached Eltham Well Hall station it was running at around 65 miles per hour (105km/h). An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. Whilst the original main building of 1908 and sections of platform remain in evidence today at the former site of Eltham Park, at Well Hall not a brick remains. Just over half, 542 other passengers were injured, exacerbated as many of the seated passengers had stood up ready to depart. This document is Crown Copyright, and is subject to the terms governing the reproduction of crown copyright material. The secondman may not have been attentive because he had also been drinking, but he did not know the route and would not have realised that the driver was not braking for the curve when he should have been. This travel time and distance between Rainham and Hither Green played a key role in the accident that occurred.[2]. The next five coaches were derailed but the 10th, in which the guard was riding, was not. The Bexleyheath Line was double-track from the outset and, except for the layout at Barnehurst, stations along the route were built to the same standard design. The guard told the inquiry that after leaving Rainham he had noticed that the train's speed has been "a little bit excessive" and that the driver braked intensely between Gillingham and Chatham. This seaside excursion train derailed on a bend outside Well Hall station, Eltham, South London on June 11th, 1972 killing at least 4 people and. It seems these splashes were too late and light to register in the cab. derailment. Wilsdon was not due to be on duty until the afternoon and had gone to a pub at lunchtime with his brothers who said he spent the afternoon at home. The empty train left Ramsgate and made an uneventful journey to Margate, arriving at around 19:59. Note how the staircase of the footbridge passed through the roof of the canopy. At no point did Wilsdon even attempt to slow his train beyond having already shut off the engine to coast which was normal at this long downhill sector of the line. The pair had three pints of light and bitter each with Wilsdon possibly drinking another half pint of light ale, according to the evidence of club staff who served him. The cause of the crash was concluded to be intoxication of the driver. Book: Ministry of Transport . Six lives were lost including the driver, and 126 people were injured. The structure sat at milepost 9 from Charing Cross. They prepared the train which consisted of a Class 47 diesel locomotive and 10 coaches. In contrast, Stokes claimed that Wilsdon mentioned drinking some sherry when they met at Ramsgate. Shortly thereafter, Wilsdon and Stokes returned and entered the cab preparing for departure, with neither seeming unusual: when Arundell told them to hurry up, Wilsdon calmly noted they could regain lost time on the journey. Eltham Well Hall Rail Crash 1972 Find this Pin and more on Eltham photos by Nigel. Poor weather hampered construction and pushed back the commissioning of the new station, both the existing sites lingering on until Saturday 16th March 1985. After the crossing was cleared, he set the route for the train to proceed but instead, the train came to a stop at the platform. Two of them were the beer bottles that Stationmaster Arundell had seen at Margate and both were confirmed to have been unopened. Apr 2, 2017 - Eltham Well Hall Rail Crash. [1] Although Wilsdon paid the fine, British Rail were not notified of this occurrence until a colleague of Wilsdon's was similarly charged five days later. The second and third coach followed the first coach until relatively late into the derailment, with the coupling between the first and second failing around the end of the derailment. The only other theory was that Wilsdon had obtained a bottle of spirits at some point, stored it on his person and had drunk it at some point after leaving Margate, and later disposed of the glass by throwing it out the window of the locomotive, with the theory being that Wilsdon either obtained the bottle at some point whilst in Margate or had kept one on his person since he left Rainham for work. A member of staff on the platform at this time noted that he had seen both Stokes and Wilsdon depart the locomotive and leave the station via Platform No.1 three minutes after having arrived at Margate and this was later compared with the timings made by Guard Atterbury, who recorded a 20:13 departure from Margate (eight minutes late) noting that both Stokes and Wilsdon were absent. Pictures by my father, Reg Godsave. Two of them were the beer bottles that Stationmaster Arundell had seen at Margate and both were confirmed to have been unopened. Before he could go ask superiors as to where they were, he saw Stokes and Wilsdon return. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. Stokes and Guard H. Atterbury. It also meant that his Supervisors at Hither Green would not see him in person. At about 15:20 he booked on duty by telephone with Hither Green depot and travelled by train to Ramsgate. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. He claimed that he was going to head directly to Ramsgate from Rainham and said that he had to catch an earlier train from Rainham (the 15:32 instead of the 15:42, which was not running on Sundays) and therefore asked Hither Green if he could be considered on-duty from 15:12. The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. For this case study, the available worldwide railway accident data are analysed in order to build taxonomy. The Report for the crash was released on 1 June 1973 and it quite clearly showed that the accident was caused entirely by the actions of Robert Wilsdon, in that he had "grossly impaired his ability to drive safely by drinking a considerable quantity of alcohol both before and after booking on duty". The curve had a maximum permitted speed to be taken at 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) but the train was estimated to have been travelling at 65 . His speech was clear and his gait was normal. Statistics Eccles Rail Crash . The design of the cabin at Well Hall was repeated at all those stations which opened with the route in 1895, and examples can be seen on the website's Barnehurst and Bexleyheath pages. This document was published on 1st June 1973 by Department of the Environment. Closure of Eltham Well Hall and Eltham Park stations was scheduled for Saturday 2nd March 1985, when the new platforms east of the former would be brought into use with a huge interchange with bus services. A medical expert stated that during the time given, 5 pints of bitter, a third of a bottle of sherry and a quarter bottle of spirits would "just about achieve" the levels found, providing that "the bulk of the spirits was drunk between 20:15 and 21:30". "The train was the diesel-hauled 20.05 Margate to Kentish Town excursion train and it comprised ten coaches, well filled with passengers returning from a day's outing at Margate. None of the staff were criticised for failing to stop Wilsdon from his duties under the belief he was too drunk and evidence by Wilsdon's father-in-law, brothers and friends confirmed that although Wilsdon did drink heavily, he could "carry" his alcohol well and that the amount of alcohol he drank was not enough to make his drunkenness visible, although the report believed that Wilsdon's actions at Rainham and his reactions at Eltham Well Hall clearly showed that he was beginning to suffer effects of drunkenness. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that Wilsdon had been intoxicated by alcohol. On Sunday 11th June 1972 at 21:36, disaster struck. Guard Atterbury, who arrived at Ramsgate some hours earlier and had been relaxing in the staff break room of the station, had gone to prepare the train for its departure at around 19:30 and initially noted that the engine crew were absent. Computations later proved that the driver had apparently shut off power where required, but had not made a brake application. A small goods yard was situated behind the London end of the "up" platform, comprising two sidings, one of which terminated at a "dock" platform. The front of the cab was torn open and debris thrown and 'ploughed' inside, killing Wilsdon and severely injuring Stokes. The 20:05 return excursion train crewed by Wilsdon, Stokes and Atterbury consisted of a British Rail Class 47 locomotive, No.1630 from the Midland Region, and ten coaches; a Brake Second Corridor, a Second Corridor, a Composite Corridor, three more Second Corridors, another Composite, a Tourist Standard Open, another Second Corridor and another Brake Second Corridor at the rear. Pictures by my father, Reg Godsave. Secondman Stokes, who agreed with Wilsdon to get some extra drinks at Ramsgate was severely criticised for his "disgraceful" behaviour in drinking three pints prior to taking the train back to Margate, but it was agreed that Stokes' young age and weak character meant that he seemed unwilling to stop Wilsdon from going to get some drink. Stokes was unable to recall much of what occurred at Margate and Wilsdon died, so it was uncertain as to what had occurred during this period, and although a pub was close to the station, it was considered that they did not have enough time to reach it. The journey was normal until the train stopped for signals at Rainham, whereafter the driver made an unscheduled stop in the station to telephone the signalman and ask about another excursion train that they were due to pass some distance ahead. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. A medical expert stated that during the time given, 5 pints of bitter, a third of a bottle of sherry and a quarter bottle of spirits would "just about achieve" the levels found, providing that "the bulk of the spirits was drunk between 20:15 and 21:30". Trying to gain Wilsdon's attention, he made two light applications ("splashes") of the guard's brake. The fourth coach had ended up roughly 90 degrees to the track, leaning over on its left side. He subsequently gave Wilsdon a stern reprimand and advised him that such behaviour was not acceptable. He had worked with Wilsdon a few times before and considered him an experienced driver. A track foot crossing for staff remained in place, this of which was situated roughly midway down the platforms and required climbing on small steps to access. The first and most serious of these moments was the fact that it was uncertain what had occurred with Wilsdon and his brothers between 14:02 and 17:15 with his brothers both declaring that Wilsdon had not drunk after returning from the pub in Rainham. The train was an excursion for Kentish Town-based railway employees of the London Midland Region and their families. The locomotive and first four coaches left the rails and came to rest at an angle to the track, the second and third coaches on their sides. This document was published on 1st June 1973 by Department of the Environment. June 11, 1972. However, as the train approached Sittingbourne, the train was forced to briefly stop due to signals and it was held again momentarily around Rainham by Signalman Obee who had been forced to open his level crossing to allow a pair of buses through as the train was running late. Upon completing his phone conversation, Wilsdon returned to his cab and departed having been stopped at Rainham for about four minutes. This was agreed as there was no evidence to the contrary and it was believed that Wilsdon was travelling to Ramsgate at this time. A third smashed bottle found was later proven to have been a medicine bottle and was unlikely to have carried any alcohol at the time of the accident. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. He had worked with Wilsdon occasionally before and had driven with him a few times prior. This issue was however was brought up again in 1991 after the Cannon Street station rail crash in which the driver in that instance was believed to have been high on cannabis and caused a buffer-stop collision. Trying to gain Wilsdon's attention, he made two light applications ("splashes") of the guard's brake. good people helping eachother, Ilford rail crash, Ealing rail crash, Wembley Central rail crash, Cannon Street station rai, Spa Road Junction rail crash. Well Hall is a place to the north of Eltham in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in southeast London, England, with no present formal boundaries and located 13.5 km (8.4 mi) east-southeast of Charing Cross. instance of. He briefed the pair on the train's particulars with Wilsdon appearing sober and routine. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. Stokes had arrived first, having spoken with the supervisor at Ramsgate to ascertain the details of the train. He used the correct telephone and spoke quite clearly and was not at all slurred according to both Fleming and Obee. Contributions Approaching Eltham Park he became so concerned at the speed that he made two quick applications of the vacuum brake to try to draw the driver's attention, but before he could get a reaction it was too late. He later commented to Stokes a joking complaint about the driver of the first excursion train, calling him a "slow bastard". There was an imbalance with the urine alcohol level which made it very likely that the driver had also been drinking alcohol at the controls. As a result the heavy locomotive entered the curve at some 65 mph and, distorting the track and sharpening the curve immediately ahead of its wheels, overturned to the left and dragged the train after it into almost total derailment. The second uncertain moment was what occurred to both him and Stokes during the stop at Margate, in which both seemingly left the station via the Platform No.1 entrance. The last station the train passed on its journey that Atterbury had to time was at Bexleyheath railway station 4.3miles east of the accident site. Eltham Well Hall rail crash a train derailedderailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall stationEltham (Well Hall) derailmentLondon-bound train came off the track The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35.wikipedia 47Related Articles [filter] The rear end of the first coach came to rest up against the leading cab. This was a very unusual action, particularly as he had made up almost seven minutes of the lost time. The actions of his superior regarding this incident were criticised as "unwise" but were not considered a serious failing. At the subsequent public inquiry it was revealed that the driver had been intoxicated by alcohol. His speech was clear and his gait was normal. Railman Akehurst, who had heard the derailment, immediately called Dartford signal box and reported the derailment. As he did not need to be on duty until the afternoon, Wilsdon joined his two brothers for lunch at around 12:55, the three travelling to a local pub where they stayed until closing time just after 14:00. By contrast to this, secondman Stokes arrived at Hither Green, signed on duty in person at around 15:12 and was instructed by the Supervisor to travel on the 15:32 train and try to meet Wilsdon on the train. In that year, the Greater London Council (GLC) published proposals for the Rochester Way Relief Road, today known as the A2. This issue was however was brought up again in 1991 after the Cannon Street station rail crash in which the driver in that instance was believed to have been high on cannabis and caused a buffer-stop collision. At no point did Wilsdon even attempt to slow his train beyond having already shut off the engine to coast which was normal at this long downhill sector of the line. On a cloudy but dry evening, shortly before dusk and in good visibility and running under clear colour light signals over a route with easily identifiable landmarks, the driver failed to take any braking action to reduce his train's speed on the steeply falling gradient through Eltham Park to Eltham (Well Hall) in preparation for its entering the 12 chain radius right hand curve just beyond Well Hall station, the speed round which is permanently restricted to 20 mph. Most Wanted This accident has been the subject of a published formal accident investigation, which you will find below. Depending on the status and age of the original document, you may need an OPSI click-use license if you wish to reproduce this material, and other restrictions may apply. Jan 15, 2015 - A major rail crash happened at Well Hall on Sunday evening 11 June 1972. Further Research After arrival at Margate, the train was stabled at Ramsgate. The secondman may not have been attentive because he had also been drinking, but he did not know the route and would not have realised that the driver was not braking for the curve when he should have been. Guard Atterbury was not criticised whatsoever for his behaviour and it was considered unfortunate that his "splashes" were too weak to gain Wilsdon's attention. The first coach followed the overturned locomotive but remained upright, the coupling failing quite late into the sequence. A member of staff on the platform at this time noted that he had seen both Stokes and Wilsdon depart the locomotive and leave the station via Platform No.1 three minutes after having arrived at Margate and this was later compared with the timings made by Guard Atterbury, who recorded a 20:13 departure from Margate (eight minutes late) noting that both Stokes and Wilsdon were absent. Exactly where the pair went in this period is unknown owing to Wilsdon's death and Stokes having little recollection of the events after leaving Ramsgate and although another pub was close to the station, it was considered that neither had time to reach it.[2]. Whilst it was agreed that it was a fairly common occurrence in the Southern Region and British Rail had adopted a policy where certain drivers could be granted need to book on via telephone (typically those either living far from depots or those whose duties commenced far from their depots). An excursion train from. The second incident occurred on 28 March 1969, when Wilsdon was fined 1 for being drunk in Lewisham. The only other theory was that Wilsdon had obtained a bottle of spirits at some point, stored it on his person and had drunk it at some point after leaving Margate, and later disposed of the glass by throwing it out the window of the locomotive, with the theory being that Wilsdon either obtained the bottle at some point whilst in Margate or had kept one on his person since he left Rainham for work. Although uncertain, it seems that Wilsdon believed that the two stoppages that occurred to his train at Sittingbourne and Rainham and having not seen the first excursion train at Newington, was because the first train was running slowly and kept stopping his train. By 1972 he was married with young children and living in Rainham, Kent - which meant he would usually have to make an almost two hour rail commute to his depot at Hither Green. The first occurred on 7 November 1961, when Wilsdon had been charged 150 for being Drunk and disorderly, causing damage to a shop window and assaulting a Police constable whilst off-duty. The next five coaches were derailed but the 10th, in which the guard was riding, was not. The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. A combination of the signal checks at Sittingbourne and Rainham and the unscheduled stop at Rainham had caused Wilsdon to lose most of the progress he had made between Margate and Sittingbourne. Nevertheless, at Wilsdon's suggestion, they both went to the nearby Railway Staff Association Club at about 19:00 and drank three pints of light and bitter beer each. Both were severely damaged. The locomotive jumped the sharp curve, derailing and rolling onto its left side and sliding through a coal yard. Please consider donating to help with our running costs. Cookie policy. 11 June 1972: D1630 was involved in the notorious Eltham Well Hall rail crash in which six people were killed. He later claimed to a representative from the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen that he would not drink again. Apr 2, 2017 - Eltham Well Hall Rail Crash. The crash happened at around 3.30pm today (May 23). located in the administrative territorial entity. At 19:45 they met with the guard and drove the train to Margate to receive the passengers. The last recommendation that Robertson made regarding the accident was the usage of telephone to sign on duty within the Southern Region. On Sunday 11 June 1972, a day-trip to Margate had been arranged for the employees (and their families) of British Rail's Midland Region based at the North London depot at Kentish Town. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. This took the platforms beyond the bridge which carried the running lines over Well Hall Road, and a new entrance was opened between the latter and the stations down platform, by means of a staircase upon the embankment. His colleague was similarly promoted but resigned in early 1963 after a series of reprimands and suspensions. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London. Initial reports suggest a person was hit by a motorbike. By contrast to this, secondman Stokes arrived at Hither Green, signed on duty in person at around 15:12 and was instructed by the Supervisor to travel on the 15:32 train and try to meet Wilsdon on the train. According to Obee, Wilsdon had stopped at Rainham to inquire of the position of the first excursion train, which Obee explained was to stop at Gillingham railway station and would let Wilsdon overtake it, which was not as planned (Wilsdon's train was to overtake the first excursion train at Newington railway station which was prior to Rainham); to which Wilsdon told him "you should read your weekly notices". A ten-coach excursion train, the 20.05 Margate to Kentish Town, hauled by Brush Type 4 No. Wilsdon did not meet with the supervisor at Ramsgate, likely owing to the fact that his was the only Class 47 engine at the depot and would have been easy to find.[2]. It will be noticed on those structures which still survive at Bexleyheath and Welling that their wider, 25-foot portions also demonstrate a higher hipped roof section. Photograph by Press Association, 1972. Emergency services were notified, and arrived between 21:40 and 21:42. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972 Accident Summary and 2 more images Location Eltham Well Hall Train Operator British Railways (Southern Region) Primary Cause Excessive speed Secondary Cause Driver intoxicated Result Derailment 6 fatalities, 126 injured Accident Investigation Status The empty train left Ramsgate and made an uneventful journey to Margate, arriving at around 19:59. While they chatted the secondman 'smelt something pretty strong' on the driver's breath and when questioned about it, he replied that he had "had some beer at dinner time" and had "ended up going somewhere and drinking some sherry". Wilsdon met with his secondman, a youth of 18 years, there. Railman Akehurst, who was on duty on the Well Hall platforms, had seen several earlier trains pass through the station and thence the curve, all of them slowing to the safe speed of 20mph but when he saw the excursion train approaching, he was quite certain it was traveling far beyond that speed. Wilsdon and Stokes were to sign on duty at Hither Green in person by 15:42 to catch a train as passengers to Ramsgate, transferring at Dartford. His suspension in 1961 was considered a warning sign of Wilsdon's alcoholic tendencies but it was agreed that at the time there was no evidence to disprove Wilsdon's statements that he would better himself and not drink again. All three acquired a new main building, replacing the SER timber structures on their up platforms. The eighth coach was upright but derailed, the ninth coach was derailed at its leading bogie but also upright, and the tenth coach (in which Atterbury had been riding) was upright and on the rails, though some internal damage had occurred. Stokes and Guard H. Atterbury. Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, Railway accident : Report on the Derailment that occurred on 11 June 1972 at Eltham (Well Hall) Station in the Southern Region, British Railways, Accident at Eltham Well Hall on 11th June 1972. At 15:22 Wilsdon signed on duty with Hither Green by telephone. Railman Akehurst, who had heard the derailment, immediately called Dartford signal box and reported the derailment. Well Hall station will be partially covered by the new Rochester Way relief road. The driver Robert Wilsdon and five passengers were killed, and 126 people were injured. The incident resulted in four fatalities on site, including the driver, with two further passengers dying of their injuries months later. There are currently no news items related to this accident. The Eltham Well Hall rail crash was an accident on the British railway system that occurred on 11 June 1972 at approximately 21:35. Places time Forgot London Bus East London London Areas Old Well Hall Bus Station 1970's J Michele Janes Eltham History Credits All witnesses who saw the driver including the guard, the station staff at both Rainham and Margate, and the depot staff at Ramsgate, observed no signs of intoxication. The crew left the cab for a few minutes and as a result the train departed from Margate eight minutes late. He briefed the pair on the train's particulars with Wilsdon appearing sober and routine. This did not occur, and the two met up at Ramsgate Depot by the locomotive at around 18:25. The first coach followed the overturned locomotive but remained upright, the coupling failing quite late into the sequence. He was not suspended for this incident owing to the fact that his superior at Hither Green was busy and then went on leave and as such was not able to speak with Wilsdon until June. An excursion train from Margate to Kentish Town derailed on a sharp curve at Eltham Well Hall station, Eltham, London.