16th July 1961

Accrington Observer & Times
(Advertised Excursion)

Route : 1P29 throughout (service train) (2)

Notes :
(1) This excursion to Fleetwood, advertised at a cost of 5/6d in the local newspaper, departed Accrington at 11am picking up at Church & Oswaltwistle at 11.04am. The stock comprised a 2-car Class 105, 50783 and 50808, coupled to Class 113 unit 51780 & 51755 which was 'ex-works' from Derby (n.b. Trevor Machell also reports 51771+51746 in the consist). At Singleton Bank it collided at speed with the rear of a stationary permanent way train, having clear signals into the occupied section. Seven people were killed and 116 injured. One of the units, probably the leading 105, overturned. All three leading cars were cut up at Derby C&W in September 1962; 51755 survived to be withdrawn with the remaining 113s in the late 1960s.
(2) Trevor Machell comments: The DMU involved in the accident was not a special working but 1P29 08.55 Colne to Fleetwood service, formed of  50808+50783+51780+51755+51771+51746. I was trainspotting that morning between Ashton and Lea Rd signal boxes on the Preston – Blackpool line. At about 11.40 the Lostock Hall Breakdown Crane passed me hauled by 45092. I’d seen plenty of breakdown crane movements, especially on Sundays, but always associated with engineering work or minor mishaps, so I thought nothing of it. However about 13.15 the Newton Heath Crane passed hauled by 45241 and to put it mildly it was shifting (I even noted that in my book). It dawned on me that the Lostock Hall crane had been moving at a fair lick as well – cranes usually ambled by at a leisurely pace with a WD or such on the front – so I went home to find out what was going on. News of the accident had been on the wireless.

Sources : Mark Harrington (from contemporary sources) & Trevor Machell

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