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Coordinates: 51°39′29″N 0°23′18″W / 51.6580°N 0.3884°W / 51.6580; -0.3884
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{{Short description|1996 rail crash in England}}
⚫
{{Infobox rail accident
{{for|other rail accidents in the area|Watford Junction railway station#Accidents and incidents}}
⚫
| title = Watford Rail Crash
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
| image = Watford rail crash.jpg
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
| caption =
⚫
{{Infobox public transit accident
⚫
| date = 8 August 1996
| time = 17:24
| name = Watford rail crash
<!-- Image -->
⚫
| location = Watford
⚫
| image = Watford rail crash.jpg
⚫
| coordinates=
| country = England
| image_size =
| line = [[West Coast Main Line]]
| image_alt =
| operator =
| caption =
| type =
<!-- Maps -->
| cause = [[Signal passed at danger]]
| image_map =
| trains = 2
| image_map_alt =
| pax =
| image_map_caption =
| deaths = 1
| pushpin_map =
| injuries = 69
| alternative_map =
| pushpin_map_alt =
⚫
| footnotes = [[List of rail accidents in the United Kingdom|List of UK rail accidents by year]]
| pushpin_map_caption =
}}__NOTOC__
| mapframe =
⚫
In the early evening of Thursday 8 August 1996, a {{brc|321}} passenger train operated by [[Network SouthEast]] travelling from [[London Euston]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]] ''Down Slow line'' at around 110&nbsp;km/h (68&nbsp;mph) [[Signal passed at danger|passed a signal at danger]]. Having applied the brakes it eventually stopped 203&nbsp;m (222 yards) past the signal and was traversing the junction between the ''Down Slow line'' and the ''Up Fast line''. An empty {{brc|321}} coaching stock train approaching at roughly 80&nbsp;km/h (50&nbsp;mph) collided with the stationary passenger train approximately 700&nbsp;m south of [[Watford Junction]] whilst progressing across the connections from the ''Up Slow line'' to the ''Up Fast line''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/84749.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Signals blamed for Watford rail crash|date=29 April 1998|accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref>
| qid =
| mapframe_zoom =
⚫
| coordinates =
<!-- Details -->
⚫
| date = 8 August 1996
| time = 17:24
⚫
| location = [[Watford]]
| location_dir =
| location_city =
| location_dist_km =
| location_dist_mi =
| country = England
| line = [[West Coast Main Line]]
| operator = [[Network SouthEast]]
| owner = [[Railtrack]]
| service =
| type =
| cause = [[Signal passed at danger]]
<!-- Statistics -->
| bus =
| trains = 2
| vehicles =
| passengers =
| crew =
| pedestrians =
| deaths = 1
| injuries = 69
| damage =
| property =
<!-- Route map -->
| route_map =
| route_map_state =
| route_map_name =
<!-- Footnotes -->
⚫
| footnotes = [[List of rail accidents in the United Kingdom|List of UK rail accidents by year]]
}}
⚫
In the early evening of 8 August 1996, a {{brc|321}} passenger train operated by [[Network SouthEast]] travelling from [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] on the [[West Coast Main Line]] ''Down Slow line'' at around {{convert|110|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} [[Signal passed at danger|passed a signal at danger]]. Having applied the brakes it eventually stopped {{convert|203|m|yd|abbr=on}} past the signal and was traversing the junction between the ''Down Slow line'' and the ''Up Fast line''. An empty Class 321 coaching stock train approaching at roughly {{convert|80|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} collided with the stationary passenger train approximately 700&nbsp;m south of [[Watford Junction]] whilst progressing across the connections from the ''Up Slow line'' to the ''Up Fast line''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/84749.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|title=Signals blamed for Watford rail crash|date=29 April 1998|access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref>


One person was killed and 69 were injured, including four members of the train's crew. The person who was killed was Ruth Holland, book review editor of the ''[[British Medical Journal]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |year=1996 |title=Ruth Holland Obituary|journal=British Medical Journal |publisher= |volume=313 |issue= |pages=620 |url= |doi= }}</ref>
One person was killed and sixty-nine were injured, including four members of the train's crew. The person who was killed was Ruth Holland, book review editor of the ''[[British Medical Journal]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |year=1996 |title=Ruth Holland Obituary|journal=British Medical Journal |volume=313 |pages=620 }}</ref>


==Criminal Proceedings==
==Criminal proceedings==
As a result of this accident, the train driver was charged with [[manslaughter]] by the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] on 10 January 1997, following an investigation by the [[British Transport Police]]. On 11 March 1998, the driver was [[Acquittal|acquitted]] at [[Luton]] [[Crown Court]].
As a result of this accident, the train driver was charged with [[manslaughter]] by the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] on 10 January 1997, following an investigation by the [[British Transport Police]]. On 11 March 1998, the driver was [[Acquittal|acquitted]] at [[Luton Crown Court]].


In its report, the [[Health and Safety Executive|Health and Safety Executive (HSE)]] advised that there was insufficient evidence to justify legal proceedings against the other involved parties, namely [[Railtrack]] and [[Network SouthEast]].
In its report, the [[Health and Safety Executive]] (HSE) advised that there was insufficient evidence to justify legal proceedings against the other involved parties, namely [[Railtrack]] and [[Network SouthEast]].


==Incident Report==
==Incident report==
Following delays caused by the criminal proceedings against the driver, the [[Health and Safety Executive|HSE]] and the [[Office of Rail Regulation|Office of Rail Regulation (ORR)]] jointly published its ''Report into the railway accident at Watford South Junction on 8 August 1996''<ref>{{Cite report |title=Report into the railway accident at Watford South Junction on 8 August 1996 |url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/incident-watfordsouthjunction.pdf |author=Health & Safety Executive |last= |first= |coauthors= |year=1998 |publisher=Office of Rail Regulation |accessdate=19 May 2010 |docket= |format=PDF }}</ref> on 29 April 1998, a summary version was published on the internet on 21 May 1998.
Following delays caused by the criminal proceedings against the driver, the HSE and the [[Office of Rail Regulation]] jointly published its ''Report into the railway accident at Watford South Junction on 8 August 1996''<ref>{{Cite report |title=Report into the railway accident at Watford South Junction on 8 August 1996 |url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/incident-watfordsouthjunction.pdf |author=Health & Safety Executive |year=1998 |publisher=Office of Rail Regulation |access-date=19 May 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111110536/http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/incident-watfordsouthjunction.pdf| archive-date=11 November 2010 }}</ref> on 29 April 1998, a summary version was published on the internet on 21 May 1998.


===Contributing Factors===
===Contributing factors===
The [[Health and Safety Executive|HSE]] and the [[Office of Rail Regulation|ORR]] concluded in its incident report that there were a number of mitigating factors that contributed to the incident.
The HSE and ORR concluded in its incident report that there were a number of mitigating factors that contributed to the incident.
# The collision would have been avoided if the [[Automatic Train Protection]] (ATP) system had been fitted to the train and track.
# The collision would have been avoided if the [[Automatic Train Protection]] (ATP) system had been fitted to the train and track.
# The inappropriate positioning of a speed restriction sign as a result of imprecise wording in the [[Railway signalling#UK operating rules|Railway Signalling Standard]] which gave confusing information to the driver of the passenger train.
# The inappropriate positioning of a speed restriction sign as a result of imprecise wording in the [[Railway signalling#UK operating rules|Railway Signalling Standard]] which gave confusing information to the driver of the passenger train.
# The signal passed at danger had a shorter than normal safety margin known as an 'overlap' intended to reduce risks from small misjudgements by train drivers or increased braking distances (e.g. as a result of wet leaves on the line).
# The signal passed at danger had a shorter than normal safety margin known as an '[[Overlap (railway signalling)|overlap]]' intended to reduce risks from small misjudgements by train drivers or increased braking distances (e.g. as a result of wet leaves on the line).


==See also==
==See also==
*[[List of British rail accidents]]
*[[List of British rail accidents]]
*[[Southall rail crash]] - SPAD accident in September 1997.
*[[Southall rail crash]] – SPAD accident in September 1997.


==References==
==References==
Line 44: Line 81:


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* 'Railway Accident at Watford' [[ISBN]] 0-7176-1510-3
* 'Railway Accident at Watford' {{ISBN|0-7176-1510-3}}


{{coord|51.6580|-0.3884|type:event_region:GB|display=title}}
{{coord|51.6580|-0.3884|type:event_region:GB|display=title}}
{{1996 railway accidents}}
{{1996 railway accidents}}
{{Railway accidents in the United Kingdom, 1900–1999|state=collapsed}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Watford Rail Crash}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watford Rail Crash}}
[[Category:Railway accidents in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1996]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1996]]
[[Category:1996 in England]]
[[Category:1996 in England]]
[[Category:History of Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:History of Watford]]
[[Category:Watford]]
[[Category:1990s in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:20th century in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Watford]]
[[Category:Train collisions in England]]
[[Category:1996 disasters in the United Kingdom]]

Latest revision as of 22:06, 2 November 2024

For other rail accidents in the area, see Watford Junction railway station § Accidents and incidents.

Watford rail crash
Details
Date8 August 1996
17:24
LocationWatford
CountryEngland
LineWest Coast Main Line
OperatorNetwork SouthEast
OwnerRailtrack
CauseSignal passed at danger
Statistics
Trains2
Deaths1
Injured69
List of UK rail accidents by year

In the early evening of 8 August 1996, a Class 321 passenger train operated by Network SouthEast travelling from London Euston on the West Coast Main Line Down Slow line at around 110 km/h (68 mph) passed a signal at danger. Having applied the brakes it eventually stopped 203 m (222 yd) past the signal and was traversing the junction between the Down Slow line and the Up Fast line. An empty Class 321 coaching stock train approaching at roughly 80 km/h (50 mph) collided with the stationary passenger train approximately 700 m south of Watford Junction whilst progressing across the connections from the Up Slow line to the Up Fast line.[1]

One person was killed and sixty-nine were injured, including four members of the train's crew. The person who was killed was Ruth Holland, book review editor of the British Medical Journal.[2]

Criminal proceedings

[edit]

As a result of this accident, the train driver was charged with manslaughter by the Crown Prosecution Service on 10 January 1997, following an investigation by the British Transport Police. On 11 March 1998, the driver was acquitted at Luton Crown Court.

In its report, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advised that there was insufficient evidence to justify legal proceedings against the other involved parties, namely Railtrack and Network SouthEast.

Incident report

[edit]

Following delays caused by the criminal proceedings against the driver, the HSE and the Office of Rail Regulation jointly published its Report into the railway accident at Watford South Junction on 8 August 1996[3] on 29 April 1998, a summary version was published on the internet on 21 May 1998.

Contributing factors

[edit]

The HSE and ORR concluded in its incident report that there were a number of mitigating factors that contributed to the incident.

  1. The collision would have been avoided if the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system had been fitted to the train and track.
  2. The inappropriate positioning of a speed restriction sign as a result of imprecise wording in the Railway Signalling Standard which gave confusing information to the driver of the passenger train.
  3. The signal passed at danger had a shorter than normal safety margin known as an 'overlap' intended to reduce risks from small misjudgements by train drivers or increased braking distances (e.g. as a result of wet leaves on the line).

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Signals blamed for Watford rail crash". BBC News. 29 April 1998. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  2. ^ "Ruth Holland Obituary". British Medical Journal. 313: 620. 1996.
  3. ^ Health & Safety Executive (1998). Report into the railway accident at Watford South Junction on 8 August 1996 (PDF) (Report). Office of Rail Regulation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.

Further reading

[edit]

51°39′29″N 0°23′18″W / 51.6580°N 0.3884°W / 51.6580; -0.3884

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