Welwyn Garden City Rail Crash - 1957 Crash

1957 Crash

A second unrelated accident took place here on 7 January 1957; this was another rear collision. This accident took place at dawn about half a mile south of the station, and was due to the driver of an Aberdeen to London express passing signals at danger in mist, even failing to notice emergency detonators set off by the signalman.

The express which was travelling at around 60-65 mph, collided with the rear end of a local train which had just pulled away from the station, and was travelling at around 30-35 mph. The rear coach of the local train was wrecked in the collision and two more were overturned. One passenger in the local train was killed and 25 injured. The locomotive of the express overturned and the driver suffered severe shock.