Clapham Junction research (Help me if you can!)

jjules · Post by **jjules** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 1:20 pm

Can someone detail me on what happened in the Clapham Junction crasha a few years ago? I'm doing research on it for a presentation I'm to do on Tuesday, but I do not know the details. All I know is that a faulty signal caused three trains to crash.

I need to know things like where it was, what trains crashed, what they've done to prevent such a thing happening again, and what caused the signal problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

jjules · Post by **jjules** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 1:42 pm

Can no-one help me here?

LucaZone · Post by **LucaZone** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 1:49 pm

Rail crashes are not something widely or openly spoken of im guessing. Fair enough, people dont want to be reminded.

I'l have a look in my database and see what i can find

damcox · Post by **damcox** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 1:51 pm

Hi JJules.

I don't know much about this icedent but I have PM'd you what i know off hand incase someone gets upset as they have lost loved ones in the incedent.

southcoasttrains · Post by **southcoasttrains** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:13 pm

If I can remember correctly it was around 1987 / 1988, around the time of the hurricane. From what I can remember it was on the South West lines for Wimbledon next to the South Central lines. Thats all I can remember.

I know it was just in the time of NSE but I can remember clips of from the news, the coaches were in Blue and Grey.

thedarkness · Post by **thedarkness** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:15 pm

Dale Stewart - Basildd would be the best person to ask
From my understanding, a signal wire became loose inside the signal, and the vibration of passing trains caused this wire to move in such a wire, the signal falsely displayed a green aspect.
I believe it got the stage were this signal was 'dancing' in front of drivers, ie constantly changing aspect.
A train safely passed this signal at danger, and came to a stop at a genuine red signal.
In the meantime, the signal protecting this train, falsely showed a green aspect, and the driver of the train behind selected full power {notch 4} he rounded the corner to see the train ahead standing at a signal.
I believe the reaction time was so little, that they found the controller still in notch 4 when the rescuers shifted through the wreckage.
The wreckage fouled the opposite line, and before a warning could be given, a down train ploughed into the wreckage.
Also, a 455 unit passed the defective signal, and made an emergency brake application just in time to stop it becoming part of the disaster.

Try search engines using words like "Clapham disaster" etc

The trains involved were all Southern slam door stock, i know at least 1 unit was a 4 VEP and another 4TC

asalmon · Post by **asalmon** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:30 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 547561.stm

Took less that two minutes to find from google

Alan

Stooopidperson · Post by **Stooopidperson** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:32 pm

thedarkness wrote:The trains involved were all Southern slam door stock, i know at least 1 unit was a 4 VEP and another 4TC

Wouldn't the 4TC need something to push/pull it?

southcoasttrains · Post by **southcoasttrains** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:34 pm

Stooopidperson wrote:Wouldn't the 4TC need something to push/pull it?

Only between Bournemouth and Weymouth.

Stooopidperson · Post by **Stooopidperson** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:34 pm

southcoasttrains wrote:
Stooopidperson wrote:Wouldn't the 4TC need something to push/pull it?
Only between Bournemouth and Weymouth.

So it could operate by itself?

southcoasttrains · Post by **southcoasttrains** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:36 pm

Stooopidperson wrote:
southcoasttrains wrote:
Stooopidperson wrote:Wouldn't the 4TC need something to push/pull it?
Only between Bournemouth and Weymouth.
So it could operate by itself?

It was powered by third rail, at the time the section between BOurnemouth and Weymouth was none electrified so it was loco hauled. A 4TC is similar to a 4CIG.

thedarkness · Post by **thedarkness** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 3:17 pm

southcoasttrains wrote:
Stooopidperson wrote:
southcoasttrains wrote: Only between Bournemouth and Weymouth.
So it could operate by itself?
It was powered by third rail, at the time the section between BOurnemouth and Weymouth was none electrified so it was loco hauled. A 4TC is similar to a 4CIG.

No, they were just coaching stock, no motors. They were hauled down from London by REPs, which had 1,600 horse power motors, as a pose to the 1,000 hp motors used by CIGs, VEPs and CEPs.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 4:06 pm

the other train was one of those ones got turned into 442s. REP? that was the bad one. it got the roof ripped off.

basildd · Post by **basildd** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 4:27 pm

thedarkness wrote:Dale Stewart - Basildd would be the best person to ask

As someone who was directly involved in it and had been in the REP unit that disintegrated, whilst I may be the best person to ask, it is not something that I care to think about too much. If there are any specific questions you would like the answers to, I will do so, but the personal aspect and individual people involved, such as the drivers and crew and buffet staff etc I would not want to go into detail nor even think about it...

As for the stock involved, the REP units hauled trains from Bournemouth to London and pushed them back again. They were as powerful as a Deltic loco. The 4 TC units (TC being Trailer Control) were converted Mk 1 stock (301 - 303, 401 - 428) or specifically built (432 - 434) for use on the South Western Division at a time when the line between Branksome and Weymouth was not electrified. 301 - 303 (3 car versions) were renumbered 429 - 431 by inclusion of an extra coach. They were renumbered 438001 - 438034 under TOPs and carried the last four digits of those numbers. They did not have any on board traction equipment to power themselves but could drive the REP by using the 27 Pin Control Jumper connection. The REPs were built as 3001 - 3011 and then renumbered 2001 - 2011 as their TOPs numbers were 432001 - 011. There were 4 extra units built at York Works, 2012 - 2015. Subsequently, as the 442's were being built, the electrical equipment was stripped from one power car of the two for each 442, leaving 3 coaches of the REP which were paired with a Class 73 for a while in order to maintain services whilst the 442's were built.

The REP unit bore the brunt of the damage, and there was nothing left of the first three coaches that was recognisable. The unit hit the rear of a 12 car formation of three 4 VEP units which were at a stand at the home signal prior to Clapham Junction. The rear coach of this train was catapulted onto the adjacent bank and the REP was destroyed as it forced its way between the stationary train and the embankment and then the empty train on the adjacent line.

The trains involved had both called at Basingstoke, the VEPs being the 0718 Basingstoke to Waterloo and the Bournemouth Express having left Basingstoke at 0735 and running non stop. The train that ran into the derailed trains was an 8 car VEP formation, running empty from Waterloo to Wimbledon Park Depot. The rear VEP involved in the initial collision was one of the original 20 built and therefore had asbestos within it which complicated the rescue arrangements.

As for the cause, the signalling system was being redone in the Clapham Junction area as part of a major resignalling scheme. the incident was caused by a wire which had been disconnected and taped up during the preceding night. The first train affected, not involved in the collision, was running on green lights which changed to red and then back to green as it approached Clapham Jn. There was much made at the time of the fact that this was not immediately reported by the driver, who continued to Waterloo. The first train involved was running under correct signals and stopped at the 'home' signal, awaiting a platform. The Bournemouth express was also running under clear signals as the taped, removed wire, came back into contact with the electrical equipment, making the signals in advance of the stop signal, appear clear. The REP unit was driving at line speed as it approached Clapham Jn on clear signals and as the location was on a curve, the driver did not have any warning of the impending collision about to occur until he rounded the curve only to see the train in front of him. the position of the controls showed he had barely had time to comprehend what was in front of him before the train struck the stationary one at 30 odd mph. The impact caused the Mk1 stock to break up as the energy dissipated. The force pushed the rest of the front train forward several coach lengths after the rear coach had been thrown onto the bank. The ecs was passing through Clapham Jn station and was unable to stop in time.

Lost in the severity of all this was the fact that the previous night, a 442 had derailed in a collision between Bournemouth and Weymouth, having collided with a cement mixer put onto the tracks by vandals. This unit had come to a stand over a road bridge and very nearly went through it...

Not a good period of time for either the SW Division, or the people who worked for it...

ianmacmillan · Post by **ianmacmillan** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 9:52 pm

Try a search for HMRI. The Ladbrook Grove accident report comes up near the top. Probably more but I can't be bothered to look.