Howden rail accident

When railway accident Howden in Yorkshire died on August 7, 1840 four passengers when dissolved in a mixed train load and the train brought to derail.

Circumstances

The train was traveling on the Hull and Selby Railway between Leeds and Hull. Behind the locomotive was followed by a flat car, then six coaches. Only in the last of the cars were some passengers. On the wagon, a 2.5 -ton cast iron component was transported. This was even longer than it transporting cars in its dimensions.

Circumstances of the accident

The cast-iron component slipped about 1200 meters before the train reached the station Howden, of the wagon, fell onto the track and brought the the wagon following coaches derailed. There are four passengers were injured so badly that she still died at the scene or later.

Investigation

The accident was one of the first by the newly founded in the same year railway supervisory authority ( Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate ) were studied. This came to the conclusion that the cast iron component ( agree the witnesses on this point ) was either not at all or insufficiently secured to the flat car, at least not in a manner sufficient in case the damage caused by the railway journey vibrations of the vehicle the original position are to remain. The report therefore concludes that negligence existed. He further objected that the flat car used have exhibited no significant side walls, the addition from slipping could protect the workpiece. Finally, he recommended that future use only appropriate car and ensure that the charge of a train should be checked out by a loadmaster on transport firm attachment before its departure.

The accident shocked the public opinion, as to the public initially getting around the focus was on the possibility of a new, fast way to the dangers involved but only reached due to such accidents abruptly into the public consciousness.

The accident is still of importance because it drew attention to the carriage of passengers on the problem of security of freight trains. It should, however, yet to happen more accidents before this type of trains was at least banished from the main routes.