There are a number of books on British railway accidents which provide aid in the systematic study of the causes and effects of accidents, and their prevention. There are common themes in many accidents (see
Classification Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood.
Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes.
It may also refer to:
Business, organizat ...
). Key books are listed here to avoid repeating them for each individual accident.
The
doyen is
L. T. C. Rolt's ''Red for Danger'', first published in 1956, which takes a wide-ranging overview of over 100 accidents. Most other books concentrate on a smaller number of specific accidents, described in more detail. O.S. Nock's "Historic Railway Disasters" combines both approaches, with individual chapters on especially significant accidents such as
Armagh
Armagh ( ; ga, Ard Mhacha, , "Macha's height") is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Pri ...
and
Quintinshill
The Quintinshill rail disaster was a multi-train rail crash which occurred on 22 May 1915 outside the Quintinshill signal box near Gretna Green in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. It resulted in the deaths of over 200 people, and remai ...
. For accidents in the last 30 years and modern operating practice, Stanley Hall's four books are particularly good. Apart from Schneider and Mase (1968/1970) and Faith (2001), all the books below are confined to British accidents.
The list below does not include books on individual accidents; for these, see
Tay Bridge,
Quintinshill
The Quintinshill rail disaster was a multi-train rail crash which occurred on 22 May 1915 outside the Quintinshill signal box near Gretna Green in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. It resulted in the deaths of over 200 people, and remai ...
,
Harrow
Harrow may refer to:
Places
* Harrow, Victoria, Australia
* Harrow, Ontario, Canada
* The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland
* London Borough of Harrow, England
** Harrow, London, a town in London
** Harrow (UK Parliament constituency)
...
,
Hixon,
Moorgate and
Lockington.
An extremely valuable source now on the Internet is the Railways Archive compilation of official Railway Inspectorate Accident Reports - see "External Links" below.
Key books
* First published 1998 to accompany the Channel 4 series. An overall survey like Rolt's, but covering worldwide accidents.
* A broad survey, concentrating especially on accidents in the 20 years up to 1986, especially those caused by drivers' and signalmen's errors.
* Covers Clapham Junction, Purley, Glasgow Bellgrove and a wide range of other accidents, e.g. track problems, fires, staff fatalities.
* Covers the period 1989-97 including Cowden, Newton and Southall.
* . Includes Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield, Potters Bar, Great Heck (Selby).
* Covers 27 accidents between 1905 and 1962. Particularly good on the human factor and psychological reasons behind accidents.
* First published 1966, another well-written classic.
* An excellent overview of accidents up to 1957, in fine writing style. An early reviewer wrote, "At the risk of being thought callous, one must praise Mr Rolt for making death and disaster most attractive reading". Several revised and updated editions published (1960, 1966, 1976, 1982). Later editions have material added by G.M. Kichenside.
*
* Includes
classification Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood.
Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes.
It may also refer to:
Business, organizat ...
and numerous European accidents.
* Written by a former signalman, with an interesting selection including some less well-known mishaps.
* covers 47 accidents between 1876 and 1991 with many photographs.
* {{cite book , first=Adrian , last=Vaughan , year=2000 , title=Tracks to Disaster , publisher= Ian Allan , isbn=0-7110-2731-5 19 modern accidents in the period 1975-97. Like his previous book, contains some trenchant comments on railway management.
External links
Railway Archive- Accident ReportEarly railways in the UK and USA by Charles Adams (published in 1879)Office of the Railway Regulator
Reports on major incidents
UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch
Publications - Covers the period from 2006 onward. Note as well as major accidents there are reports on relatively minor incidents.
Railway accidents and incidents in the United Kingdom
Lists of books
British railway-related lists