Burscough Junction Station Crash
Encyclopedia
The Burscough Junction Station Crash occurred on 15 January 1880 at the Burscough Junction railway station
on the Liverpool
to railway line in England. The line was operated by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
company at the time. There were nine people killed in the accident and more than fifty people were injured.
The cause of the accident was a combination of human error, a defective and inadequate signalling system and an inadequate track layout which could not cope with complex train movements. Spur lines had been built to connect the Liverpool to Preston railway line to the Wigan
to railway line, known as the Burscough Curves, this meant that more complicated train movements were being made between the two railway lines.
At approximately 6:05pm the southbound train left the station heading for having been turned onto the downline by the signalman
on duty at . 200 yards south of the station, adjacent to the Brickfield (Platts Lane) siding
, the train collided with the Liverpool to Preston train which had left Liverpool at 5:30pm. The northbound train was eventually due to carry on to to disembark passengers for the Belfast
steamer ferry.
The first two carriages of both trains were completely shattered and the passengers thrown about in all directions. Those who could, scrambled out of the wreckage to be met by railway officials who had heard the collision and were making their way toward the site of the crash. A number of medical gentlemen arrived by special train and rendered very valuable services. The injured were taken to Preston Infirmary by special train at 10:00pm. The pointsman, Anthony Melia, from Burscough Junction station was taken into custody and appeared at the subsequent inquiry. Anthony Melia was found not guilty, by the inquiry, of criminal negligence
Dr Hall of Preston, who was a passenger on one of the trains rendered valuable assistance at the scene of the accident
promised to carry out improvements to the station to prevent a similar disaster occurring. Over the next two years new signal boxes were installed and the entire points system reviewed to allow shunting and local train movements to be independent of main line train operations.
No memorial to the crash exists on the site.
Known Injured Persons/Passengers
Burscough Junction railway station
Burscough Junction pronounced is one of two railway stations serving the small West Lancashire town of Burscough in the north-west of England. The station was the scene of the Burscough Junction Station Crash in 1880.- Service :...
on the Liverpool
Liverpool Exchange railway station
Liverpool Exchange railway station was a railway station located in the town centre of Liverpool, England.- Station construction and opening :...
to railway line in England. The line was operated by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
company at the time. There were nine people killed in the accident and more than fifty people were injured.
The cause of the accident was a combination of human error, a defective and inadequate signalling system and an inadequate track layout which could not cope with complex train movements. Spur lines had been built to connect the Liverpool to Preston railway line to the Wigan
Wigan Wallgate railway station
Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main railway stations serving the town of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The station is on 2 lines, the Manchester-Southport Line and the Manchester-Kirkby Line. It is north west of Manchester Victoria...
to railway line, known as the Burscough Curves, this meant that more complicated train movements were being made between the two railway lines.
At approximately 6:05pm the southbound train left the station heading for having been turned onto the downline by the signalman
Signalman
A Signalman is a person who historically gave signals using flags and light. In modern times the role of Signalmen has evolved and now usually uses electronic communication equipment. Signalmen usually work in rail transport networks, armed forces, or construction...
on duty at . 200 yards south of the station, adjacent to the Brickfield (Platts Lane) siding
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
, the train collided with the Liverpool to Preston train which had left Liverpool at 5:30pm. The northbound train was eventually due to carry on to to disembark passengers for the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
steamer ferry.
The first two carriages of both trains were completely shattered and the passengers thrown about in all directions. Those who could, scrambled out of the wreckage to be met by railway officials who had heard the collision and were making their way toward the site of the crash. A number of medical gentlemen arrived by special train and rendered very valuable services. The injured were taken to Preston Infirmary by special train at 10:00pm. The pointsman, Anthony Melia, from Burscough Junction station was taken into custody and appeared at the subsequent inquiry. Anthony Melia was found not guilty, by the inquiry, of criminal negligence
Dr Hall of Preston, who was a passenger on one of the trains rendered valuable assistance at the scene of the accident
Aftermath
As a result of the accident the Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayLancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
promised to carry out improvements to the station to prevent a similar disaster occurring. Over the next two years new signal boxes were installed and the entire points system reviewed to allow shunting and local train movements to be independent of main line train operations.
No memorial to the crash exists on the site.
Victims
Known Fatalities- Edward Sutton, Ormskirk. Aged 36. Guard, Burscough train.
- Thomas Looney, Ormskirk. Aged 50. Engine driver, Burscough train.
- Robert Sanderson. Aged 20. Fireman, Burscough train..
- Robert Montgomery, Preston. Aged 38. Hatter and clothier.
- Robert Clarkson, Preston Aged 39 Fireman, Liverpool express.
- James Haythornthwaite, BurnleyBurnleyBurnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
Aged 21 Wholesale potato dealer. - Michael Boyle, FleetwoodFleetwoodFleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
Aged 40 Butcher - William Rawcliffe, Preston Aged 21 DraperDraperDraper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
's assistant - John Henry Crossfield, died 2 February 1880 in Preston Infirmary after having his leg amputated the Sunday prior.
Known Injured Persons/Passengers
- Fred Leech, Blackburn
- John Bullfield, Preston. Engine driver, Liverpool express.
- Elizabeth Meadows, BurscoughBurscoughBurscough is a village and civil parish within West Lancashire in North West England, to the north of both Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.-Growth:...
- Mr Dixon, OrmskirkOrmskirkOrmskirk is a market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool city centre, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston.-Geography and administration:...
. School attendance officer. - John Sharrock, BirkdaleBirkdaleBirkdale is a village and district in the southern part of the conurbation of the town of Southport, within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, though historically in Lancashire, in the north-west of England. The village is located on the Irish Sea coast, approximately a mile away from...
. Farmer. - James Martland, Burscough. Potato dealer.
- Richard Shaw, ScarisbrickScarisbrickScarisbrick is a village and civil parish in West Lancashire, England. It is spread out along the A570 so there is no real village centre, though the junction with the A5147 is close to the geographic centre...
. Farmer. - John Dickinson, CrostonCroston-External links:**** chorley.gov.uk....
. Hay & straw dealer. - Mr Mercer, Ormskirk. Brewer
- John Yonds & step-daughter, LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
- Mr Thompson, Waterloo, Liverpool
- Mr Culshaw, Liverpool & SouthportSouthportSouthport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
. Sailor - Mrs Kirk, Liverpool
- Mrs Iddon, Burscough
- Robert Pickservant, Preston
- Henry Thwaites, Preston
- Mrs Rawcliffe, Preston. Hosier
- John Graham, Pointsman
- Jane McGrovey, Liverpool
- Dr Hall, Preston