Coppenhall Junction railway accident


On the evening of 26 December 1962, cold weather and snow in and around had caused points to become frozen and trains were being detained at signals. About midway between Winsford and Crewe, the 13:30 to London Mid-Day Scot, hauled by English Electric type 4 diesel D346, with 13 coaches and 500 passengers, was stopped at a signal but the driver found the telephone to Coppenhall Junction, the next signal box ahead, out of order. Seeing the next signal ahead he decided to proceed down towards it and use the telephone there, but too fast. In the darkness he failed to notice the 16:45 express from to, hauled by an electric locomotive with eight coaches with 300 passengers, standing on the line ahead and collided with it at about.
The collision killed 18 passengers; 33 other passengers and one railwayman were seriously injured. All these casualties were in the two rear coaches of the Liverpool train, which were telescoped after a coupling fractured.