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It was His Majesty's in 1927
 
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{infobox UK rail accident
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
⚫
| title= Sevenoaks railway accident
{{Infobox public transit accident
⚫
| date= 24 August 1927
| location= near [[Sevenoaks railway station]]
| name = Sevenoaks railway accident
| line = [[South Eastern Main Line]]
<!-- Image -->
| image = Accident ferroviaire de Sevenoaks - locomotive A800-photo2.jpg
⚫
| cause= Derailment
| trains= 1
| image_size =
| pax=
| image_alt =
| caption = The derailed locomotive on its side.
⚫
| deaths= 13
<!-- Maps -->
⚫
| injuries= 20
| image_map =
| image_map_alt =
| image_map_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| alternative_map =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| mapframe =
| qid =
| mapframe_zoom =
| coordinates =
<!-- Details -->
⚫
| date = 24 August 1927
| time = 17:30
⚫
| location = near [[Sevenoaks railway station]]
| location_dir =
| location_city =
| location_dist_km =
| location_dist_mi =
| country = England
| line = [[South Eastern Main Line]]
| operator =
| owner =
| service =
| type =
⚫
| cause = Derailment of locomotive
<!-- Statistics -->
| bus =
| trains = 1
| vehicles =
| passengers =
| crew =
| pedestrians =
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| deaths = 13
⚫
| injuries = 21
| 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]]
}}
}}
On 24 August 1927 the [[Southern Railway]]'s afternoon express from [[Cannon Street Station|Cannon Street]] to [[Deal, Kent|Deal]] left London in charge of [[SECR K and SR K1 classes|River Class tank engine]] No 800 ''River [[River Cray|Cray]]''. Several passengers later recounted that from time to time the train seemed to roll excessively on fast curves. As it passed through [[Pollhill]] Tunnel at 60&nbsp;mph the rocking became violent and it derailed in the cutting beyond. Unfortunately the cutting is spanned by a high bridge at this point which the cab of the locomotive struck; turning it on its side across the cutting; the leading coaches piling up against it, killing 13 and injuring many more (railway engineer [[Archibald Jack]] survived).
The '''Sevenoaks railway accident''' occurred on 24 August 1927 between [[Dunton Green railway station]] and [[Sevenoaks railway station]]. The [[Southern Railway (Great Britain)|Southern Railway]]'s afternoon express from [[Cannon Street Station|Cannon Street]] to [[Deal, Kent|Deal]] left London at 5 pm, hauled by [[SECR K and SR K1 classes|River Class tank engine]] No 800 ''[[River Cray]]''. Several passengers later recounted that from time to time the train seemed to roll excessively on fast curves. As it passed through [[Pollhill]] Tunnel at 60&nbsp;mph the rocking became violent and the train derailed past [[Dunton Green railway station]], where the line is in a cutting which is spanned by a bridge carrying Shoreham Lane. The cab of the locomotive struck the bridge and the engine was turned on its side across the cutting. The leading coaches piled up against it, killing 13 and injuring many more. Railway engineer Brigadier-General [[Archibald Jack]] was a survivor of the crash.


[[John Wallace Pringle]], Chief Inspecting Officer of [[His Majesty's Railway Inspectorate]] conducted the inquiry in person.<ref name=Steamx>{{cite web
⚫
After news of the accident, the Southern Railway withdrew all 21 'River' class tank engines, which caused public sensation at the time. Other drivers testified to the instability of the class and it emerged that a previous example had derailed at speed (though mirculously re-railed itself). The engines' high centre of gravity, hard springing and tendency for the water in the [[side tank]]s to surge all caused the engines to roll dangerously at speed, so much so that in this case the nearside wheels had lifted.
| url = https://steamindex.com/people/inspoff.htm#pringle
| title = Inspecting Officers (Railways) |at=Pringle, (Sir) John Wallace
| website = steamindex.com
| access-date = 2011-07-10}}</ref>
⚫
Following the accident, the Southern Railway withdrew all the remaining 'River' class tank engines, which caused a public sensation at the time. Other drivers testified about the instability of the class and it emerged that one locomotive had previously derailed at speed, though it had re-railed itself. The engines' high centre of gravity, their hard springing, and the tendency for the water in the [[side tank]]s to surge, all caused the engines to roll dangerously at speed, so much so that in this accident the nearside wheels had lifted.


Trials carried out after the accident showed that the design behaved well on the [[Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)|Great Northern]] main line out of [[King's Cross station|King's Cross]] running at 85&nbsp;mph, showing that indifferent permanent way was partly responsible, but before the results of the trials had been published all 20 engines had been rebuilt to form the first [[SR U class]] 2-6-0 tender engine design in 1928.
Trials carried out after the accident showed that the design behaved well when running at 85&nbsp;mph on the [[Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)|Great Northern]] main line out of [[London King's Cross railway station|King's Cross]], indicating that an indifferent permanent way was partly responsible for the instability of the locomotives. However, before the results of the trials had been published, all River class engines had been rebuilt, becoming the first 20 of the [[SR U class]] [[2-6-0]] tender engine design.
<gallery>
File:Accident ferroviaire de Sevenoaks - voiture Pullman.jpg|Wrecked coaches against the bridge.
File:Accident ferroviaire de Sevenoaks - voiture détruite.jpg|Wrecked coach.
File:Accident ferroviaire de Sevenoaks - locomotive A800-photo1.jpg|The overturned locomotive.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
*{{cite book |last1=Rolt |first1=L.T.C. |authorlink1=L. T. C. Rolt |last2=Kichenside |first2=Geoffrey |title=Red for Danger |edition=4th |year=1982 |origyear=1955 |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-8362-0 |pages=89–91 |ref=harv }}
*{{cite book |last1=Rolt |first1=L.T.C. |author-link1=L. T. C. Rolt |last2=Kichenside |first2=Geoffrey |title=Red for Danger |edition=4th |year=1982 |orig-year=1955 |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-8362-0 |pages=89–91 }}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Sevenoaks1927.pdf Official report]
*[http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Sevenoaks1927.pdf Official report]

{{Railway accidents in the United Kingdom, 1900–1999|state=collapsed}}
{{1927 railway accidents}}

{{coord|51.28404|N|0.17264|E|type:event_region:GB|display=title}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sevenoaks Railway Accident}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sevenoaks Railway Accident}}
[[Category:Railway accidents in England]]
[[Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Kent]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1927]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1927]]
[[Category:1927 in England]]
[[Category:1927 in England]]
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[[Category:Rail transport in Kent]]
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[[Category:Disasters in Kent]]
[[Category:Sevenoaks]]
[[Category:Sevenoaks]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving Southern Railway (UK)]]
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[[Category:1920s in Kent]]
⚫
[[Category:Derailments in England]]
[[Category:1927 disasters in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:August 1927 events]]

Latest revision as of 09:07, 22 July 2024

Sevenoaks railway accident
The derailed locomotive on its side.
Details
Date24 August 1927
17:30
Locationnear Sevenoaks railway station
CountryEngland
LineSouth Eastern Main Line
CauseDerailment of locomotive
Statistics
Trains1
Deaths13
Injured21
List of UK rail accidents by year

The Sevenoaks railway accident occurred on 24 August 1927 between Dunton Green railway station and Sevenoaks railway station. The Southern Railway's afternoon express from Cannon Street to Deal left London at 5 pm, hauled by River Class tank engine No 800 River Cray. Several passengers later recounted that from time to time the train seemed to roll excessively on fast curves. As it passed through Pollhill Tunnel at 60 mph the rocking became violent and the train derailed past Dunton Green railway station, where the line is in a cutting which is spanned by a bridge carrying Shoreham Lane. The cab of the locomotive struck the bridge and the engine was turned on its side across the cutting. The leading coaches piled up against it, killing 13 and injuring many more. Railway engineer Brigadier-General Archibald Jack was a survivor of the crash.

John Wallace Pringle, Chief Inspecting Officer of His Majesty's Railway Inspectorate conducted the inquiry in person.[1] Following the accident, the Southern Railway withdrew all the remaining 'River' class tank engines, which caused a public sensation at the time. Other drivers testified about the instability of the class and it emerged that one locomotive had previously derailed at speed, though it had re-railed itself. The engines' high centre of gravity, their hard springing, and the tendency for the water in the side tanks to surge, all caused the engines to roll dangerously at speed, so much so that in this accident the nearside wheels had lifted.

Trials carried out after the accident showed that the design behaved well when running at 85 mph on the Great Northern main line out of King's Cross, indicating that an indifferent permanent way was partly responsible for the instability of the locomotives. However, before the results of the trials had been published, all River class engines had been rebuilt, becoming the first 20 of the SR U class 2-6-0 tender engine design.

  • Wrecked coaches against the bridge.
    Wrecked coaches against the bridge.
  • Wrecked coach.
    Wrecked coach.
  • The overturned locomotive.
    The overturned locomotive.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Inspecting Officers (Railways)". steamindex.com. Pringle, (Sir) John Wallace. Retrieved 10 July 2011.

Sources

[edit]
[edit]

51°17′03″N 0°10′22″E / 51.28404°N 0.17264°E / 51.28404; 0.17264

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