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The Lollipop Express train crash remembered 50 years on

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Cletus

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Here's an article for an accident I'd never heard of that happened 50 years ago today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-27594074

On 28 May 1964, a train carrying more than 230 schoolchildren derailed and crashed at Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, leaving three dead and dozens injured. Now, 50 years on, some of those who remember the crash have shared their memories.

"It seemed to go on forever, almost like being in a dream, like a slow-motion film that you couldn't do anything about," said John Gibson.

He was nine years old at the time, one of a number of children from St Austin's Primary School, Stafford, aboard the special service, dubbed the 'Lollipop Express'.

Pupils from three schools in the town had been bound for York for a day trip to visit the Minster, castle and the railway museum.

"After two or three minutes the carriage started to turn on to its side," Mr Gibson said.

"I went straight out of the window because the glass had smashed, but managed to grab hold of the table.

"I remember the train tipping over and my head banging up and down on the sleepers."

Mr Gibson had been one of 27 children left in hospital by the crash. His left arm was amputated, while a female pupil lost her leg.

He had been sitting close to Louis Stevens and Christine Heffernan, both of whom died in the crash.

A British Rail representative who had helped to organise the trip was also killed.

An inquiry found the nine-carriage train derailed while travelling at 40mph in a 10mph zone on a bend through Cheadle Hulme station.

It split between the fourth and fifth carriages, with the fourth coming to a stop on its side 130 yards (120m) down the line.

continues...

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Looking on google streetview it's easy to find the spot with the building in the background still there.
 
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Bill Stanier

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Oddly I remember this accident quite vividly (I was 14 at the time), but I thought it involved a class 40 (EE Type 4 back then). It was of course a Black 5.

Other accidents on the Manchester - Crewe line include one at Holmes Chapel in 1941 ( http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/eventsummary.php?eventID=808 ), and the much earlier one at Chelford where among the dead was a child who was not associated with any of the other accident victims and who was never identified or reported missing by anyone.
 
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