The Hixon Railway Disaster: The Inside Story

In 1968, a Parliamentary Court of Inquiry was held into a railway accident at Hixon in Staffordshire, where a newly installed automatic crossing was the scene of a fatal high-speed collision between a train and a low-loader. The Railway Detectives, who were in charge of introducing the crossings, were forced to explain their actions to a worried nation. The author has uncovered previously undisclosed information about the disaster and the attempts to hide the truth of how close we came to having dozens of Hixons across the rail network.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 04 October 2022
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

The first Parliamentary Court of Inquiry into a railway accident in Britain since the Tay Bridge Disaster occurred in January 1968. The reason for this was that Britain's Railway Detectives, who would typically investigate all aspects of railway safety, were also in charge of introducing automatic Continental-style level crossings into the country. At Hixon in Staffordshire, one of these newly installed robot crossings on British Rail's flagship Euston to Glasgow mainline was the scene of a fatal high-speed collision between a packed express train and an enormous, heavily laden low loader. For once, the Railway Detectives were the ones having to explain their actions, in the full glare of media attention, to an expectant and increasingly worried nation.

(There was another awful, fatal collision at an automatic crossing at Beckingham, Lincolnshire, in April of 1968). Using previously undisclosed information, the author has been able to cast fresh light on not only the Hixon Disaster, but also the extraordinary story of the largely successful attempts by British Railways and the Railway Inspectorate of the time to hide the truth of just how close we came to having dozens of Hixons right across the rail network.

The introduction of automatic level crossings in Britain was a controversial and ambitious project that aimed to improve safety and efficiency on the rail network. However, the project was beset by problems and controversies, including the Hixon Disaster in January 1968.

The Hixon Disaster occurred when a packed express train collided with a heavily laden low loader at an automatic crossing in Staffordshire. The collision resulted in the deaths of 11 people and caused significant damage to the train and the crossing.

The Railway Detectives, who were responsible for introducing the automatic crossings, were criticized for their handling of the accident. They were accused of not properly testing the crossings before they were installed and of not providing adequate training to railway staff and the public about how to use them safely.

In response to the Hixon Disaster, the government launched an inquiry into the safety of automatic level crossings. The inquiry found that the Railway Detectives had not followed proper procedures in the introduction of the crossings and that they had not adequately tested them before they were installed.

Despite these findings, the Railway Detectives and British Railways continued to defend the automatic crossings. They argued that they were safe and efficient and that they had been successfully used in other countries.

However, the controversy continued, and there were calls for the introduction of more safety measures, such as barriers and gates, to prevent accidents at automatic crossings. In the end, the government decided to introduce more safety measures, including barriers and gates, to prevent accidents at automatic crossings.

The introduction of automatic level crossings in Britain was a complex and controversial project that had far-reaching consequences for railway safety. The Hixon Disaster was a tragic reminder of the need for careful planning and testing before introducing new technologies to the rail network. The controversy surrounding the crossings continued for years, but the introduction of more safety measures ultimately helped to improve railway safety in Britain.

Weight: 266g
Dimension: 155 x 235 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399019255