Historic Derailment at Euston 13 Feb 1988

[Rover]

I was the driver on that train ...

Fascinating, thanks for posting.

 

[edwin_m]

Looking at the post and pictures on this derailment a lot are asking what took place that morning. I was the driver on that train and later had to attend an enquiry about it. The cause of the derailment was the crossing breaking up under the Locomotive in 20 places. This was due to old age the crossing having been installed 20 years before the derailment.

Something breaking into that many pieces is eerily reminiscent of Hatfield a decade and a bit later.

 

[stuving]

Here is the only newspaper report I can find, further confirming how low-key the reaction was. From the Manchester Evening News 15/2/1988:

 

[Trackman]

Looking at the post and pictures on this derailment a lot are asking what took place that morning. I was the driver on that train and later had to attend an enquiry about it. The cause of the derailment was the crossing breaking up under the Locomotive in 20 places. This was due to old age the crossing having been installed 20 years before the derailment.

Really appreciate this info @Driver 9a, thank you.

 

[The Crab]

Another interesting post Merle. And I would speculate that a wagon fleet of the size required for those movements would almost inevitably (on statistical rule of chance) have wagons in a condition potentially slightly more likely to be prone to derailment - and more of them, as they would be smaller than equivalent bigger wagons than would be used today even if those goods were there to be moved, I would speculate.

As to 'jobsworths' it seems amazing that all it takes to change an industry's popular reputation is some annoyingly 'witty' stickers placed on the underside of toilet seats to change public / media attitudes (as per virgin trains.....).

Wkitty stickers? Any examples?

 

[WesternLancer]

Wkitty stickers? Any examples?

the virgin stuff about not putting your pullover or goldfish down the toilet bowl was what I had in mind at the time when I posted that back in 2020 I think. Not got a picture.

 

[Nottingham59]

the virgin stuff about not putting your pullover or goldfish down the toilet bowl was what I had in mind at the time when I posted that back in 2020 I think. Not got a picture

https://twitter.com/carltonreid/status/520597340613517312

EDITED: Link to Picture as described by @WesternLancer above.

QUOTE Please don't flush [...] your ex's sweater [...] or goldfish down this toilet ENDQUOTE

 

[WesternLancer]

https://twitter.com/carltonreid/status/520597340613517312

Thanks. Yes that is what I was thinking of.

 

[Andrew1395]

I remember this well. My colleague Supervisor (Pepsi) Hartford was the Passenger supervisor - responsible for the concourse gate lines and public areas. He had a very busy early turn that day. The Area Operations Manager Bill Jones came in most Saturday mornings, and of course was active at the scene.