53°48′27″N 2°57′00″W / 53.8076°N 2.9500°W
Singleton Bank rail crash | |
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Details | |
Date | 16 July 1961 10:30 |
Location | Weeton, Lancashire |
Country | England |
Line | Fleetwood Branch Line |
Cause | Signaller error; site staff error |
Statistics | |
Trains | 2 |
Deaths | 7 |
Injured | 116 |
List of UK rail accidents by year |
The Singleton Bank rail crash occurred on 16 July 1961 near Weeton, Lancashire, England.
Events
editThe 8:50 diesel multiple unit train from Colne to Fleetwood collided with the rear of a ballast train at about 45 miles per hour (72 km/h). The latter had been working in the vicinity of Singleton Bank signal box and was about to leave to clear the section for the express.
Victims
editSeven were killed (the driver and six passengers) and 116 were injured.[1]
Report
editThe signalman at Singleton misunderstood a telephone message which led him to make a serious error and accept the diesel train irregularly. The accident report also strongly criticised the local inspectors for allowing poor working practices.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Langley, Brig C A (22 December 1961), Report on the Collision at Singleton Bank (PDF), HMSO, retrieved 10 January 2009