Naworth level crossing accident
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14:38
| Naworth level crossing accident | |
|---|---|
,_Cumbria_(geograph_6170014).jpg) Naworth level crossing and former station, photographed in 2019 | |
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| Details | |
| Date | 30 August 1926 14:38 |
| Location | Naworth, Cumberland |
| Coordinates | 54°56′53″N 2°40′51″W / 54.9480°N 2.6807°W |
| Country | England |
| Line | Tyne Valley Line |
| Operator | London and North Eastern Railway |
| Cause | Vehicle incursion (level crossing) |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Vehicles | 1 |
| Deaths | 9 |
| Injured | 6, 3 serious |
| List of UK rail accidents by year | |
On the afternoon of 30 August 1926, a train struck a charabanc on the level crossing adjacent to Naworth railway station on the Tyne Valley Line between Newcastle upon Tyne and Carlisle. The accident killed nine people, and seriously injured three more.
The accident occurred at around 2:38 PM. The motor charabanc, which was carrying 17 people,[1] was erroneously allowed to cross the tracks just as the 1:18 PM express from Newcastle to Carlisle was passing through Naworth at approximately 45 to 50 miles per hour (72 to 80 km/h).[2] The train struck the charabanc immediately behind the rear wheels, turning it round by an angle of 90 degrees. The body of the charabanc was completely wrecked in the collision apart from the front seat, but the remains were dragged 100 yards (91 m) by the train.[3] The train was not derailed, and came to a stand 115 yards (105 m) beyond the level crossing.[4] Eight people, including the porter at Naworth station were killed outright, and one other casualty died on the way to hospital; three people were seriously injured.[5]