Lewisham rail crash

On the evening of 4 December 1957, two trains crashed in dense fog on the South Eastern main line near Lewisham in south-east London, causing the death of 90 people and injuring 173. An electric train to Hayes had stopped at a signal under the bridge, and the following steam train to Ramsgate crashed into it, destroying a carriage and causing the bridge to collapse onto the steam train. The bridge had to be completely removed and it was over a week before the lines under the bridge were reopened, and another month before the bridge was rebuilt and traffic allowed over it.

The driver of the Ramsgate train was acquitted of manslaughter charges after two trials. The Ministry of Transport report found that he had failed to slow down after passing two caution signals, so he was unable to stop at the danger signal, concluding that the use of an Automatic Warning System would have prevented the collision.

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