Accidents - Disasters - Fires - Floods - Tragedies
Jan. 01, 1968 - 11 Killed And 40 Injured In Rail Disaster At least 11 people were killed and 40 injured, when the 11.50 a.m. Manchester to Eastex electric express smashed into a heavy road transporter at 80 mph on a level crossing at Horton, Staffs. An official said that other bodies might still be in the wreckage. The transporter, propelled by tractor front and rear, weighed 60 tons and was loaded with a 125-ton transformer, making a total of 185 tons. It was half way over the Continental type automatic level crossing when the express, carrying about 500 passengers rammed into it on a fast section of the track. The transporter was - only half way across the level crossing in the lead and over the barrier when the crash took place. In the crash the first eight of the trains 12 coaches slewed off the lines, demolishing a signal box. One coach was flung into a field, the transporter was sliced in half and the transporter thrown several yards by the impact. Photo Shows:- The front of the wrecked locomotive which was travelling at 80 mph at the time of the disaster. The driver is still in the wreckage, dead
