Train crash 1867

On 10^th September 1867 a fatal accident occurred on the Midland line between Peak Forest and New Mills.

A cattle train with twenty-seven wagons containing around a thousand sheep and cows, ran into the rear of a stationery ballast train in Dove Holes tunnel. The force of the collision caused the cattle wagons to become uncoupled from the locomotive. They, immediately, began rolling back down the steep gradient in the direction from which they had come, gaining speed as they went. There were nine people riding on the runaway wagons, eight drovers and the guard. Two or three drovers and the guard jumped off, but the others remained on-board.

The wagons travelled about six miles on the wrong line, before crashing into the engine of an express train near New Mills. It appears that the express train's driver was made aware of the wagons bearing down on him, so stopped, threw the engine into reverse, and then jumped off. At that moment the runaway wagons hit the loco with tremendous force. 

 

Illustrated London News  September 1867

The express train with steam on, but no crew carried on backwards down the falling gradient with its cargo of frightened passengers. It eventually stopped as it reached a section of rising gradient near Romiley about five miles from the collision at New Mills.

Four of the drovers were killed as the cattle train collided with the express. A little girl aged twelve, Martha Vaines, was also killed. Against regulations, she had been given a lift in the rear van of the ballast train, so died in the first collision in the tunnel.  

The accident was caused largely by the actions of an inexperienced signalman at the Peak Forest end of the tunnel. He had, mistakenly, indicated to the signalman at the Chapel-en-le-Frith end of the tunnel, via his instruments, that the ballast train was clear of the tunnel, where in fact, it had stopped to unload ballast. Consequently, the cattle train was allowed to enter the tunnel. The blame was  shared by an official who had passed the Peak Forest signalman as competent after only one month of training.

The Times 11^th & 13^th September 1867

Air crash on Bleaklow

Superfortress

Sixty-eight years ago today, November 3^rd 1948, an American Air Force Superfortress crashed near Higher Shelf Stones on Bleaklow.

The aircraft was flying from Scampton in Lincolnshire to Burtonwood near Warrington in low cloud. The crew misjudged their height as they passed over Bleaklow, and flew into the ground. All thirteen crew members were killed instantly.

That particular Superfortress, with nick name 'Over Exposed', was a photo reconnaissance aircraft, and had seen service at the nuclear bomb tests on Bikini Atoll and during the Berlin Air Lift.

The crash site in 2011

Sixty-eight years on, the wreckage is still visible, as are a number of other crash sites in the Peak District.

Thanks to air crash sites.co.uk for photo of the crash site and for information.

First real frost of the Autumn, -3 Centigrade

Back to Nature

Beet Lane Chinley

Eldon Hole

Eldon Hole is a vertical chasm on the side of Eldon Hill near Sparrowpit. The hole is around sixty meters deep, then leads on to a further cavern.

It was once considered to be 'bottomless'.  Local legend had it that a goose once fell into the hole, and emerged from a cave in Castleton, with its feathers scorched!  The first serious decent was in1780, by a Mr Lloyd, who was lowered to the bottom on the end of a rope.

It is still, with modern equipment, a dangerous descent. A number of videos, taken by cavers, can be viewed on YouTube. 

Milepost

This milepost, showing 4 miles to Chapel-en-le-Frith, is to be found on Rushup Edge.

The post was erected on the Manchester to Sheffield turnpike near to the now abandoned section of the road. It dates from late 18^th or early 19^th Century. The turnpike trusts, which were responsible for the country's roads, were compelled by law to erect mileposts, many thousands of which, survive to this day.

Fernilee Reservoir

Last week Fernilee reservoir was completely full.

Water can be seen running over into the spillway