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Coordinates: 53°32′43″N 1°26′15″W / 53.5452°N 1.4376°W / 53.5452; -1.4376
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
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{{Infobox rail accident
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
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| title = Stairfoot rail accident
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{{Infobox public transit accident
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| image =
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| name = Stairfoot rail accident
| caption =
| date = 12 December 1870
<!-- Image -->
| time =
| image =
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| image_size =
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| location = [[Stairfoot railway station|Stairfoot station]], near [[Barnsley]]
| image_alt =
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| coordinates= {{coord|53.5452|-1.4376|region:GB-DGY_type:landmark_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}
| country = England, UK
| caption =
<!-- Maps -->
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| line = [[Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway]]
| operator =
| image_map =
| type =
| image_map_alt =
| image_map_caption =
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| cause = Failure to secure standing wagons
| trains = 2
| pushpin_map =
| pax =
| alternative_map =
| deaths = 15
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
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| injuries = 59
| mapframe =
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| footnotes = [[List of rail accidents in the United Kingdom|List of UK rail accidents by year]]
| qid =
| mapframe_zoom =
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| coordinates = {{coord|53.5452|-1.4376|region:GB-DGY_type:landmark_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Details -->
| date = 12 December 1870
| time =
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| location = [[Stairfoot railway station|Stairfoot station]], near [[Barnsley]]
| location_dir =
| location_city =
| location_dist_km =
| location_dist_mi =
| country = England
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| line = [[Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway]]
| operator =
| owner =
| service =
| type =
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| cause = Failure to secure standing wagons
<!-- Statistics -->
| bus =
| trains = 2
| vehicles =
| passengers =
| crew =
| pedestrians =
| deaths = 15
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| injuries = 59
| damage =
| property =
<!-- Route map -->
| route_map =
| route_map_state =
| route_map_name =
<!-- Footnotes -->
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| footnotes = [[List of rail accidents in the United Kingdom|List of UK rail accidents by year]]
}}
}}
The '''Stairfoot rail accident''' was a railway accident that took place at [[Stairfoot]], [[South Yorkshire]], England.
The '''Stairfoot rail accident''' was a railway accident that took place at [[Stairfoot]], [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], England.


==Details of accident==
On 12 September 1870 in Barnsley top yard a rake of 10 goods wagons was standing on a gradient of 1 in 119. A single [http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/Glossary/glossarysp.php#sprag sprag] between the spokes of a wheel was holding them. When two gas tank wagons were shunted against the rake, the sprag broke and the 12 wagons began to move. Two pointsmen made valiant efforts to pin down the brakes to no avail. The wagons rapidly gathered speed as the gradient increased to 1 in 72 and passed three signal boxes, none of which had points under their control to deflect the runaways. Meanwhile a passenger train which had left [[Barnsley Court House railway station|Barnsley]] at 18:15 was standing at [[Stairfoot railway station|Stairfoot station]] one and a half miles away. The runaways struck the rear of the standing train at a speed of at least 40 mph, killing 15 and injuring 59 more.
On 12 December 1870, in Barnsley top yard a rake of 10 goods wagons was standing on a gradient of 1 in 119. A single [[:wikt:sprag#Etymology 2|sprag]] between the spokes of a wheel was holding them. When two gas tank wagons were shunted against the rake, the sprag broke and the 12 wagons began to move. Two pointsmen made valiant efforts to pin down the brakes to no avail. The wagons rapidly gathered speed as the gradient increased to 1 in 72 and passed three signal boxes, none of which had points under their control to deflect the runaways. Meanwhile, a passenger train which had left [[Barnsley Court House railway station|Barnsley]] at 18:15 was standing at [[Stairfoot railway station|Stairfoot station]] one and a half miles away. The runaways struck the rear of the standing train at a speed of at least 40&nbsp;mph, killing 15 and injuring 59 more.


The enquiry found that the goods guard was gravely at fault for not ensuring the standing wagons were better secured. The layout of the yard was also criticized as there were no [[trap point]]s to protect the running lines in the event of such a mishap.
The enquiry by Lieut-Col [[Frederick Henry Rich|F. H. Rich]] found that the goods guard was gravely at fault for not ensuring the standing wagons were better secured. The layout of the yard was also criticized as there were no [[trap point]]s to protect the running lines in the event of such a mishap.<ref>{{cite web|title=Accident Returns: Extract for Accident at Stairfoot on 12th December 1870|url=http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=217|website=www.railwaysarchive.co.uk|access-date=1 February 2015}}</ref>


==Similar accidents==
==Similar accidents==
*[[Abergele rail disaster]] (1868)
*[[Abergele rail disaster]] (1868)

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
*{{cite book |last1=Rolt |first1=L.T.C. |authorlink1=L. T. C. Rolt |last2=Kichenside |first2=Geoffrey |title=Red for Danger |edition=4th |year=1982 |origyear=1955 |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-8362-0 |pages=184–186 |ref=harv }}
*{{cite book |last1=Rolt |first1=L.&nbsp;T.&nbsp;C. |author-link1=L. T. C. Rolt |last2=Kichenside |first2=Geoffrey |title=Red for Danger |edition=4th |year=1982 |orig-year=1955 |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-8362-0 |pages=184–186 }}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BoT_Stairfoot1870.pdf Accident Returns: Extract for Accident at Stairfoot on 12 December 1870]
*[http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BoT_Stairfoot1870.pdf Full report of Enquiry into Accident at Stairfoot on 12 December 1870]
{{Railway accidents in the United Kingdom, 1815–1899|state=collapsed}}


[[Category:History of Barnsley]]
[[Category:History of Barnsley]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1870]]
[[Category:Railway accidents in 1870]]
[[Category:Runaway train disasters]]
[[Category:Runaway train disasters]]
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[[Category:History of South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:History of South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:19th century in Yorkshire]]
[[Category:19th century in Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway]]
[[Category:December 1870 events]]
[[Category:Train collisions in England]]
[[Category:1870 disasters in the United Kingdom]]

Latest revision as of 16:59, 14 March 2023

Stairfoot rail accident
Details
Date12 December 1870
LocationStairfoot station, near Barnsley
Coordinates53°32′43″N 1°26′15″W / 53.5452°N 1.4376°W / 53.5452; -1.4376
CountryEngland
LineManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
CauseFailure to secure standing wagons
Statistics
Trains2
Deaths15
Injured59
List of UK rail accidents by year

The Stairfoot rail accident was a railway accident that took place at Stairfoot, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Details of accident

[edit]

On 12 December 1870, in Barnsley top yard a rake of 10 goods wagons was standing on a gradient of 1 in 119. A single sprag between the spokes of a wheel was holding them. When two gas tank wagons were shunted against the rake, the sprag broke and the 12 wagons began to move. Two pointsmen made valiant efforts to pin down the brakes to no avail. The wagons rapidly gathered speed as the gradient increased to 1 in 72 and passed three signal boxes, none of which had points under their control to deflect the runaways. Meanwhile, a passenger train which had left Barnsley at 18:15 was standing at Stairfoot station one and a half miles away. The runaways struck the rear of the standing train at a speed of at least 40 mph, killing 15 and injuring 59 more.

The enquiry by Lieut-Col F. H. Rich found that the goods guard was gravely at fault for not ensuring the standing wagons were better secured. The layout of the yard was also criticized as there were no trap points to protect the running lines in the event of such a mishap.[1]

Similar accidents

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References

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  1. ^ "Accident Returns: Extract for Accident at Stairfoot on 12th December 1870". www.railwaysarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2015.

Sources

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