Howden Railway Accident

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When railway accident Howden on August 7, 1840 in Yorkshire dissolved in a mixed train cargo and brought the train to derail . Four people died. The accident was the first in the world to be investigated by a railway inspectorate.

circumstances

The train was on the Hull and Selby Railway between Leeds and Hull . A flat car followed behind the locomotive, followed by six passenger carriages . There were only a few passengers in the last of the cars . A cast-iron component weighing 2.5 tons was transported on the freight wagon . This was even longer in terms of its dimensions than the wagon that carried it.

the accident

1200 meters in front of Howden station, the cast-iron component slipped off the freight car , fell into the track bed and derailed the five passenger cars following the freight car. The first of these cars and another one were completely smashed. There were no travelers in this first car or the one that followed .

consequences

Four travelers were injured so badly that they died at the accident site or later. Overall, only a few people traveled on the train, otherwise the number of victims would have been much higher.

examination

The accident was the first to be investigated by the Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate , which was founded in the same year . Since this authority was the first of its kind in the world, this railway accident was also the first in the world to be analyzed by a railway supervisory authority.

This came to the conclusion that the cast-iron part either not at all or but insufficient (the witnesses in this point does not agree) was mounted on the flat car, at least not in a manner sufficient for the damage caused by the railway journey vibrations of the vehicle in stay in its original position. The report therefore comes to the conclusion that there was negligence . He further complains that the flat car used did not have any significant side walls that could have additionally protected the workpiece from slipping. Finally, he recommended that in future only appropriate wagons be used and that the load of a train should be checked by a wagon master for transport-proof attachment before it departs .

The accident also shook public opinion, as the public initially focused on the possibility of a new, fast way of getting around, but the associated dangers only suddenly became public awareness through such accidents.

The accident is also important because it drew attention to the safety problems of freight trains carrying passengers . But there were still more accidents to happen before this type of train was banned from the main lines.

See also

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ^ Rolt: Red for Danger , p. 18.
  2. ↑ See for example: Sonning's railway accident (1841).


Coordinates: 53 ° 46 ′ 2 "  N , 0 ° 52 ′ 50.6"  W.