- Newton (South Lanarkshire) rail accident
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- For the accident in Newton, Massachusetts, see Newton (Massachusetts) rail accident.
Newton Rail Crash Date and time 21 July 1991 Location near Newton, South Lanarkshire Rail line Argyle Line / Cathcart Circle Line
Strathclyde Passenger Transport
(West Coast Main Line)Cause Signal Passed At Danger Trains 2 Deaths 4 Injuries 22 List of UK rail accidents by year On 21 July 1991, two local commuter trains crashed just outside Newton station to the south eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland.
At 9.55pm, a Cathcart Circle service operated by a Class 303 train left the "down" platform of Newton station forming a Newton-Glasgow service. Meanwhile, a Class 314 unit forming a Balloch-Motherwell service on the Argyle Line was crossing from the fast West Coast Main Line tracks through a single lead junction to enter the "up" platform of Newton. The two trains collided head on at the junction, killing both drivers and two passengers, while 22 others were injured. The leading coach of the Class 314 unit was completely destroyed in the collision, being replaced in the formation with a redundant Class 507 driving motor vehicle.
Contents
Factors
The accident was attributed to the single lead junction, something which had already been demonstrated at the Bellgrove crash in Glasgow just over a year earlier. The arrangement was designed to be simpler than the double lead junction that it replaced, and also allowed faster running on the WCML tracks following the East Coast electrification, but was inherently less safe. The configuration adopted for this particular junction was unnecessarily constrained and was strongly criticised by contemporary commentators (Hall 1999), and was altered immediately afterwards.
Aftermath
Following the accident the junction was closed, resulting in a special timetable being put in place for several months whilst the track layout was revised, to provide double track line from the platforms towards Kirkhill. Diversions included West Coast Main Line trains being diverted via the Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway and Wherry with electric trains being hauled by diesel locomotives to Mossend Yard, East Coast Main Line trains were terminated at Edinburgh Waverley and Lanark and Motherwell trains being diverted along the North Clyde Line taking the Whifflet link line immediately to the west of Coatbridge Sunnyside.
See also
References
- Vaughan, Adrian (2000). Tracks to Disaster. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-2985-7.
- Hall, Stanley (1999). Hidden Dangers. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7137-1973-7.
- Railways Archive account and official accident report
Coordinates: 55°49′9″N 4°8′16″W / 55.81917°N 4.13778°W
Railway accidents in 1991 Location and date Cannon Street station, London, England (8 January) • Shigaraki, Japan (14 May) • Glasgow, Scotland (21 July) • Severn Tunnel, England/Wales (7 December)
1990
1992Categories:- Railway accidents in Scotland
- Railway accidents in 1991
- 1991 in Scotland
- Transport in South Lanarkshire
- History of South Lanarkshire
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