Hatfield Rail Crash - Accident Events

Accident Events

A GNER InterCity 225 train bound for Leeds had left London King's Cross at 12:10, and was travelling at approximately 115 miles per hour (185 km/h) when it derailed south of Hatfield station at 12:23. The primary cause of the accident was later determined to be the left-hand rail fracturing as the train passed over it. The accident killed four passengers and injured a further seventy.

The leading Class 91 locomotive (91023) and the first two coaches remained upright and on the rails. All of the following coaches, and the trailing Driving Van Trailer were derailed, and the train set separated into three sections. The restaurant coach, the eighth vehicle in the set, overturned onto its side and struck an overhead line gantry after derailing, resulting in severe damage to the vehicle.

Those killed were all in the restaurant coach:

• Robert James Alcorn, 37, of Auckland, New Zealand
• Steve Arthur, 46, from Pease Pottage, West Sussex
• Leslie Gray, 43, of Tuxford, Nottinghamshire
• Peter Monkhouse, 50, of Headingley, Leeds

Crash investigators identified the integrity and strength of the British Rail-designed Mark 4 coaches for protecting occupants. Coincidentally, the locomotive in the crash was also involved in the Great Heck rail crash (where the leading Driving Van Trailer hit a road vehicle on the track) a few months later.