Shrewsbury rail accident

The Shrewsbury rail accident occurred on 15 October 1907. A night evening sleeping-car and mail train from Manchester to the West of England derailed on the sharply curved approach to Shrewsbury station, killing 18. Speed was estimated at 60 mph on a curve limited to 10.

This was the last of three high-speed night derailments inside a year, the others being at Salisbury and Grantham (both in 1906). Although the results were the same, the causes appear to be different. The most likely explanation of the Shrewsbury crash was that the driver had dozed off briefly and therefore had not braked in time on the downhill entry to Shrewsbury, while the fireman evidently had not realised this until too late. Drowsiness is now known to particularly affect shift workers doing intermittent night work.

ee also

* List of rail accidents
* List of British rail accidents

References

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* [http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/eventsummary.php?eventID=76 Railways Archive account]

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