List of Train Drivers who perished in the line of duty

[Berries]

In response to a fascinating conversation in the training school, I went on to look for a list of train drivers who’d died in the line of duty.

There’s a lot of negative press out there at the moment, about striking train drivers who get paid too much, and not so much about their contribution. Wikipedia has lists dedicated to police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty. There's no definitive list of train drivers who went to work in good faith one day, never to return.

I think of Brett McCullough with three young children, killed at Stonehaven in 2020 during the covid pandemic.

 

[JonathanH]

There is a right place and a wrong place for such a list. The obituary column of a Union newsletter may be reasonable. A definitive list on Wikipedia probably isn't.

However, many of the more poignant deaths are commemorated by locomotive names and it would seem reasonable to create a list of those.

 

[zwk500]

The issue with a list on wikipedia is it will always be incomplete unless you set a data parameter on it. Researching and indexing it would also be a monumental challenge. There are also many accidents where guards and other rail staff were killed whilst on duty. Personally, I feel it would be wrong to produce a list of only drivers.

There is also a quite sensitive point around fault. Although the vast majority of train crew and railway staff are utterly professional and many have performed acts of conspicuous bravery to try and ensure the safety of trains and passengers, it must be remembered that some accidents have been caused by train crew failing to carry out their duties, or attempting to carry out their duties while unfit. Contextualising a list of all rail staff who died on duty would be a potential point of contestation, and it may be better to let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[Magdalia]

Until relatively recent times the railway was a very dangerous place to work. I have looked at British Railways Board minutes from the 1960s where most meetings began with the agreement of ex gratia payments to bereaved families of railwaymen who had died at work.

A comprehensive list of all those that had died in railway service would be impossible to compile.

A place to start would be railwaymen awarded the George Cross "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger". Wikipedia does have a list of George Cross recipients: I think there are six railwaymen on the list all of whom have been commemorated with locomotive names. But the George Cross only dates back to 1940.

The names are:

Norman Tunna GC (Birkenhead 1941)
Benjamin Gimbert GC (Soham 1944)
James Nightall GC (Soham 1944)
John Axon GC (Chapel-en-le-Frith 1957)
Wallace Oakes GC (Winsford 1965)
James Kennedy GC (Springburn 1975)

Are there any that I have missed?

 

[eldomtom2]

Not especially relevant to arguments over strikes now though, is it? Driving has never been the most dangerous job on the railway, and with the massive improvements to safety over the twentieth century accidents fatal to staff in general have become thankfully very rare, and those fatal to drivers even more so. I don't think most drivers today see their wages as partly being compensation for exposing themselves to danger.

 

[Gloster]

You will never manage to draw a fair line between those you include and those you exclude. Best leave it undone: death has no name.

 

[Dieseldriver]

This century, Train Drivers killed in train collisions alone I can add John Weddle, Stephen Dunn, Stan Martin, Brett Mcullough to the roll call.
It’s down to the professionalism and training of rail staff that this list isn’t higher.

 

[Donny_m]

Just listening to a podcast about Donald Nielsen. He shot a freightliner security guard who later died, at the start of his murder campaign in the early 70’s.

Rip Gerald Smith.

 

[zwk500]

Not especially relevant to arguments over strikes now though, is it? Driving has never been the most dangerous job on the railway, and with the massive improvements to safety over the twentieth century accidents fatal to staff in general have become thankfully very rare, and those fatal to drivers even more so. I don't think most drivers today see their wages as partly being compensation for exposing themselves to danger.

It has some relevance, because there is a serious concern that some of the proposed changes in working practices and maintenance job cuts could lead to a less safe railway. And the railway has a very fine line between 'very safe' and 'lethal'.

 

[IKB]

This century, Train Drivers killed in train collisions alone I can add John Weddle, Stephen Dunn, Stan Martin, Brett Mcullough to the roll call.
It’s down to the professionalism and training of rail staff that this list isn’t higher.

Brian Cooper and Michael Hodder at Ladbroke Grove too.

 

[DarloRich]

A worthy idea. However, how do you define it? Is someone who had a heart attack at work counted? What about someone killed in a car crash on the way to or from work? What about the fella knocked off his bike on the way to work?

Where do you draw the line?

 

[DavyCrocket]

London Underground driver Julius Stephen murdered after being shot by IRA terrorist at West Ham on 15 March 1976.
So far the only member of Underground staff to be murdered on duty.
There is now a memorial plaque on the platform

 

[westv]

"In the line of duty" sounds awfully formal and more military. Wouldn't "whilst at work" be better?

 

[gazzaa2]

Not especially relevant to arguments over strikes now though, is it? Driving has never been the most dangerous job on the railway, and with the massive improvements to safety over the twentieth century accidents fatal to staff in general have become thankfully very rare, and those fatal to drivers even more so. I don't think most drivers today see their wages as partly being compensation for exposing themselves to danger.

It's not but you never know if someone or something is going to jump in front of your train at any corner.

 

[Cowley]

Until relatively recent times the railway was a very dangerous place to work. I have looked at British Railways Board minutes from the 1960s where most meetings began with the agreement of ex gratia payments to bereaved families of railwaymen who had died at work.

A comprehensive list of all those that had died in railway service would be impossible to compile.

A place to start would be railwaymen awarded the George Cross "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger". Wikipedia does have a list of George Cross recipients: I think there are six railwaymen on the list all of whom have been commemorated with locomotive names. But the George Cross only dates back to 1940.

The names are:

Norman Tunna GC (Birkenhead 1941)
Benjamin Gimbert GC (Soham 1944)
James Nightall GC (Soham 1944)
John Axon GC (Chapel-en-le-Frith 1957)
Wallace Oakes GC (Winsford 1965)
James Kennedy GC (Springburn 1975)

Are there any that I have missed?

Seeing the Stratford 47s that carried those names back in the day certainly made me interested in the stories behind the names.

 

[StephenHunter]

Until relatively recent times the railway was a very dangerous place to work. I have looked at British Railways Board minutes from the 1960s where most meetings began with the agreement of ex gratia payments to bereaved families of railwaymen who had died at work.

A comprehensive list of all those that had died in railway service would be impossible to compile.

A place to start would be railwaymen awarded the George Cross "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger". Wikipedia does have a list of George Cross recipients: I think there are six railwaymen on the list all of whom have been commemorated with locomotive names. But the George Cross only dates back to 1940.

The names are:

Norman Tunna GC (Birkenhead 1941)
Benjamin Gimbert GC (Soham 1944)
James Nightall GC (Soham 1944)
John Axon GC (Chapel-en-le-Frith 1957)
Wallace Oakes GC (Winsford 1965)
James Kennedy GC (Springburn 1975)

Are there any that I have missed?

What about drivers killed while driving trains overseas during the war?

 

[D6968]

What about drivers killed while driving trains overseas during the war?

What war are you talking about?

Just listening to a podcast about Donald Nielsen. He shot a freightliner security guard who later died, at the start of his murder campaign in the early 70’s.

Rip Gerald Smith.

That was in my hometown, something that’s unfortunately not remembered too well.

Seeing the Stratford 47s that carried those names back in the day certainly made me interested in the stories behind the names.

I think it’s rather unfortunate that Signalman Frank Bridges (who passed away the following day) and Guard Herbert Clarke (could you imagine the state he was in going back to protect his train?) never received the same accolade, I live in Cambs and it really annoys me that it’s still not a well known story.

It’s rather unfortunate that Soham is also well known for something else.

 

[LowLevel]

"In the line of duty" sounds awfully formal and more military. Wouldn't "whilst at work" be better?

The railway does still use a fair bit of military style terminology. It was a very military style organisation until the 80s.

You book on duty, rather than start work.

 

[Cowley]

I think it’s rather unfortunate that Signalman Frank Bridges (who passed away the following day) and Guard Herbert Clarke (could you imagine the state he was in going back to protect his train?) never received the same accolade, I live in Cambs and it really annoys me that it’s still not a well known story.

It’s rather unfortunate that Soham is also well known for something else.

Yes couldn’t agree more on all those points.

 

[Magdalia]

The railway does still use a fair bit of military style terminology. It was a very military style organisation until the 80s.

You book on duty, rather than start work.

There was a very strong military influence on the railway in the days following Nationalisation. Sir Brian Robertson, chair of the British Transport Commission from 1953 to 1961, was a military man.

And until relatively recently the Railways Inspectorate was led by retired military men, see accident reports.

 

[341o2]

The names are:

Norman Tunna GC (Birkenhead 1941)
Benjamin Gimbert GC (Soham 1944)
James Nightall GC (Soham 1944)
John Axon GC (Chapel-en-le-Frith 1957)
Wallace Oakes GC (Winsford 1965)
James Kennedy GC (Springburn 1975)

Benjamin Gimbert survived, while James Nighthall was the fireman, and died. It was an act of bravery to detatch a wagon on fire from an ammunition train, and draw it forward. the explosion from the contents of the wagon was bad enough, but if the contents of the entire train had exploded, the disaster would have been far greater

 

[StephenHunter]

What war are you talking about?

The two World Wars.

 

[Taunton]

The Western, particularly at places like Plymouth, had a long tradition of taking on staff at all grades who had done their time in the Navy. It was said that Laira would never have been able to become the key depot for managing high-speed diesels on hydraulics etc, and continuing to this day on HSTs, without having engineers recruited with naval experience of these.

 

[delt1c]

Many staff worked heroically and survived , personally I believe we should honour and respect all staff who performed professionally

 

[Berries]

A worthy idea. However, how do you define it? Is someone who had a heart attack at work counted? What about someone killed in a car crash on the way to or from work? What about the fella knocked off his bike on the way to work?

Where do you draw the line?

I would say anyone who died in the line of duty, regardless of who’s at fault. Agreed, guards should be included, as well as firemen. The railway has many hazards, including AC and DC voltage.

As far as dying or natural causes, or at the hands of road users to or from work, I don’t think this would count as fatigue and health conditions are not unique to the railway.

Thank you for your constructive input. I’m learning a lot from your responses.

Until relatively recent times the railway was a very dangerous place to work. I have looked at British Railways Board minutes from the 1960s where most meetings began with the agreement of ex gratia payments to bereaved families of railwaymen who had died at work.

A comprehensive list of all those that had died in railway service would be impossible to compile.

A place to start would be railwaymen awarded the George Cross "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger". Wikipedia does have a list of George Cross recipients: I think there are six railwaymen on the list all of whom have been commemorated with locomotive names. But the George Cross only dates back to 1940.

The names are:

Norman Tunna GC (Birkenhead 1941)
Benjamin Gimbert GC (Soham 1944)
James Nightall GC (Soham 1944)
John Axon GC (Chapel-en-le-Frith 1957)
Wallace Oakes GC (Winsford 1965)
James Kennedy GC (Springburn 1975)

Are there any that I have missed?

Thank you for this.

 

[RWLDproject]

Interesting and thought-provoking thread, thanks all. I know that ASLEF have put together a list of footplate crew who died on duty as a result of accident: https://aslef.org.uk/footplate-fatalities - though my recollection is that it's missing names, it's a good starting point.

Fully agree, however, that there are huge challenges even to doing this, with a fairly narrow focus; let alone going wider to encompass all grades (which I think should be done).

To flag up a more extensive listing, the Railway Work, Life & Death project (which I'm involved in) is helping to inform people about accidents to all grades of staff before 1939. We're making use of records in the public domain, produced within the industry - so far, our database includes those men and women whose accidents were investigated by the Railway Inspectorate between 1900 and 1939 - around 21,000 people. That's a small % of the total, though, as many 10s of 1000s were injured and many 1000s killed in that period. We're working on other records now, including back into the 19th century (we won't go beyond 1939, to minimise the chances of anyone named still being alive).

More on the project, including the free database, from: www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk

 

[Berries]

Thank you for your response, and for signposting the ASLEF article. Very well written.

Thank you especially for bringing attention to your studies. Very keen to understand the chronology of changes and additions to the Rule Book based on accidents and real life events. 21,000 lives is a staggering human cost.