1984 Derailment
| Morpeth derailment (1984) | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Date | 24 June 1984 |
| Time | 00:40 |
| Location | Morpeth, Northumberland |
| Country | England |
| Rail line | East Coast Main Line |
| Cause | Overspeed on curve |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injuries | 35 |
| List of UK rail accidents by year | |
Another sleeping car express, this time a southbound Aberdeen to London service, was derailed at the same location on 24 June 1984. There were no fatalities, but 29 passengers and 6 train crew were injured. Two houses narrowly escaped being demolished by the scattering carriages. The train was estimated to have been travelling at 85 to 90 mph (137 to 145 km/h).
The driver involved in this accident, a Mr. Allen, was prosecuted for being under the influence of alcohol, but acquitted after what was described by the Expert Witness Institute as an ambush defence. Driver Allen had consumed alcohol both before and after booking on duty, but the defence countered that he suffered from bronchitis and had in the past experienced severe coughing fits that had caused him to fall unconscious.
Read more about this topic: Rail Accidents At Morpeth