The Chelford rail accident occurred on 22 December 1894 at

Chelford railway station Chelford railway station serves the village of Chelford in Cheshire, England. The station is north of Crewe on the Crewe to Manchester Line Crewe () is a railway town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshi ...

.Marindin 1895, p. 83 The stationmaster was supervising shunting operations, during which a high-sided wagon was fly-shunted (i.e. run-off) into a siding in strong winds and rapidly fading light. As another six wagons were being run onto an adjoining road, the stationmaster saw the high-sided wagon being blown out of its siding by the wind to meet them. A collision occurred derailing the runaway in such a way that it fouled the main line just as the 16:15 Manchester to Crewe express approached, drawn by two locomotives,

LNWR Waterloo Class The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Waterloo Class was a class of steam locomotives that was also known as the Whitworth Class. History The locomotives were introduced by F. W. Webb in 1889, as replacements for the ''Samson'' class a ...

2-4-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles and no trailing wheels. The notation 2-4-0T indi ...

No 418 ''Zygia'' and Experiment Class No 518 ''Express''. The stationmaster ran towards them waving a red lamp but the drivers thought he was signalling to the shunters and did not slacken speed. ''Zygia'' derailed and fell on her side whilst her tender ran up the platform ramp. ''Express'' remained upright but the first carriage demolished the front of a signalbox. In all, 14 passengers were killed and 48 injured. The inquiry had little comment to make as this seemed to be a freak accident but advised that, in future, the brakes of all shunted wagons should be immediately pinned down. A contemporary photo supposedly shows the re-railed damaged locomotive ''Zygia'' shortly after the accident.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chelford Rail Accident Railway accidents and incidents in Cheshire Railway accidents in 1894 1894 in England History of Cheshire Accidents and incidents involving London and North Western Railway Runaway train disasters 19th century in Cheshire Derailments in England December 1894 events Train collisions in England 1894 disasters in the United Kingdom

See also

References

Sources