Weedon rail crashes

Weedon, Northamptonshire on the West Coast Main Line has been the site of two serious derailments in 1915 and 1951, killing 10 and 15 people respectively.

On Saturday, 14 August 1915, the 08:45 Birmingham to Euston express passenger train, hauled by LNWR George the Fifth Class locomotive No. 1489 Wolfhound, lost a taper pin; its purpose was to lock a screwed collar which retained the offside coupling rod to its crank pin. The coupling rod detached and struck one of the sleepers on the up line; pushing the track out of alignment just as the 08:30 Euston to Holyhead Irish Mail train approached. It consisted of 15 coaches hauled by two locomotives; LNWR Renown Class No. 1971 Aurora and Precedent Class No. 1189 Stewart and was travelling at 60 miles per hour. Both locomotives and every carriage was derailed; several being thrown down an embankment, killing 10 passengers and injuring 21 more. The approximate location of the collision was 52°13′20″N 1°03′50″W / 52.22212°N 1.06387°W / 52.22212; -1.06387 between Weedon and Stowe Hill tunnel.

On Friday, 21 September 1951 the 08:20 Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston passenger service consisting of 15 coaches hauled by a Princess class Stanier Pacific^[1] began to de-rail south of Weedon, Northamptonshire, on the West Coast Main Line south of Rugby, at a speed of 65 mph and finally crashed, killing 15 people and injuring 35 more. The footplate crew survived and protected their train in spite of being severely shocked.

The accident enquiry, conducted by Lt Col G R S Wilson, found the track to be in good condition and the speed of the train not to be excessive. However this was the first trip out for the locomotive, No 46207 Princess Arthur of Connaught after its bogie wheelsets had been swapped round. The enquiry concluded that the derailment was caused by an excessively tight bogie axlebox.^[2] The approximate location of the collision was 52°13′32″N 1°04′20″W / 52.22559°N 1.07219°W / 52.22559; -1.07219, less than a mile south-east of the 1915 derailment and close to the signal-box at Heyford south of Stowe Hill tunnel where the occupants were able to see the accident.

• Ministry of Transport Official Report into 1915 accident
• Ministry of Transport Official Report into 1951 accident
• Pathe newsreel of 1951 accident