TransLogistics

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New podcast tells the story of fatal Eccles train crash in 1984

The Signals to Danger[1] [2] has launched its new episode today, which tells the story of the collision between two trains in [3] on the outskirts of [4] on Tuesday 4 December 1984.

Eccles station, looking in the westbound direction
[5] station // Credit: RAIB

At 10:30 in the morning, the 10:05 passenger express train from [6] to [7] crashed into the rear of a tanker train travelling from Stanlow Oil Refinery, Ellesmere Port to [8].

The collision took place on the track alongside the M602 motorway, which had only recently been built. The tanker was carrying gas oil, as a result of which the collision ignited a serious fire leading to the tragic death of the train driver and two of passengers. Sixty-eight people were injured.

The passenger train was 1E79, formed of a [9] diesel locomotive No.45147, seven passenger coaches and a parcels van. The freight train was 6E85, composed of a [10] locomotive No.47310 and fifteen tanker wagons containing fuel oil.

Class 45 No. 45 108 Cameron Johnson
[11] No. 45 108, the same class of loco hauling the passenger train involved in the crash // Credit: Cameron Johnson

Signals to Danger is a [12] that seeks to explain some of the UK’s worst railway accidents in a way that listeners can easily understand. It boast of using “rich storytelling, and explaining exactly what happened in every accident in a way which means you don’t need an engineering degree to understand even the most complicated pieces of the jigsaw.”

In this latest 73-minute episode, the podcast explains how the accident happened, how it was investigated and what caused it.

Class 47 No. 47830 Christopher Wall (1)
[13] No. 47830, the same class of loco hauling the freight train involved in the crash // Credit: Christopher Wall

Signals to Danger is produced by Daniel Fox, under the DF Rail Media umbrella. The podcast has had 168,000 downloads over thirty-seven episodes. It is available wherever you get your podcasts, as well as through services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others. It has is own website[14] and is on social media under the handle @signalstodanger.

Podcast producer Daniel Fox said: “The UK has one of the safest railways in the world, but this is a reputation that has been paid for so many times in the past with the lives of passengers and staff. Those stories deserve to be told, and we’re proud that we’re able to be part of that effort.”

References

  1. ^ Signals to Danger (www.signalstodanger.com)
  2. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  3. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  4. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  5. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  6. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  7. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  8. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  9. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  10. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  11. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  12. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  13. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  14. ^ website (signalstodanger.com)

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