Quintinshill On 22 May 1915, Quintinshill, just outside Gretna was the scene of the worst disaster in British Railways history. 7 trains were due to pass.

Quintinshill On 22 May 1915, Quintinshill, just outside Gretna was the scene of the worst disaster in British Railways history. 7 trains were due to pass by the lonely signal box that morning. A troop train carrying half the 1/7 battalion Royal Scots to Liverpool, bound for Gallipoli passed without incident. The other half of the battalion was following on behind. Two goods trains occupied the passing loops at the signalbox. Two overnight expresses were late running at Carlisle and a local train was despatched ahead of them

Up (South) Main Down (North) Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle At 6:14 am, the goods train from Carlisle was placed in the Down Loop to allow the following express from London to pass it on the Down Main.

Up (South) Main Down (North) Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The first of the special troop trains carrying half the battalion passed southwards through the empty express lines without incident.

Up (South) Main Down (North) Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The northbound local arrived at Gretna station at 6.26 am, picking up Tinsley. It proceeded to Quintinshill where it set him down. By this time the first of the late running expresses had left Carlisle.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The northbound local arrived at Gretna station at 6.26 am, picking up Tinsley. It proceeded to Quintinshill where it set him down. By this time the first of the late running expresses had left Carlisle.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle In order to clear the way for the express, at 6.28 am the local was shunted on to the southbound track. This was entirely according to operating practice, but a brass collar should have been placed on the signal lever to prevent another train being accepted on to this section. As fireman of the local, it was George Hutchisons responsibility to remind Tinsley to protect the signal lever with the collar. This he failed to do.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle With the local train out of the way the first of the expresses, the Edinburgh sleeper, passed through without incident. Tinsley left the local train and proceeded to the signal box where he relieved Meakin. Signalmen are required to enter all train movements past their box in a ledger. In order to cover up their deception about the changeover of the shift, Meakin noted down the train movements on a piece of paper. Tinsley would enter them in the official record in his handwriting.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle At 6.33 a train of empty coal wagons returning from fuelling the fleet in the North of Scotland was put in the Up Loop to clear the main line for the following troop train.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle At 6.47 Tinsley received the call by signal bell from the next signal box to the north requesting clearance for the second troop train. Despite having alighted from the very train that was blocking the line, Tinsley accepted the train and moved the signals to clear.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The troop train came steaming down the slight incline round a slight bend. And collided head on with the stationary local.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The troop train ran head on into the stationary local

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The couplings on the modern stock of the local train were broken and the carriages ran back down the line

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle Both engines were derailed as were the carriages of the troop train

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle The carriages of the troop train scattered over the running lines.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle At 6.51, the second of the late running overnight expresses plooughed into the wreckage and was derailed.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle At 6.51, the second of the late running overnight expresses ploughed into the wreckage and was derailed.

Up (Sourth) Main Down (North)Main Up (South) Loop Down (North) Loop Quintinshill Signalbox To the NorthTo Carlisle Fuelled by the Pintsch gas cylinders for the train lighting, the flimsy coaches of the troop train caught fire. The fire spread to the other carriages and wagons

Quintinshill No less than 226 people were killed and 246 injured in the worst rail disaster ever on Britains railways. Of the 226 dead and 246 injured, the overwhelming majority were from the men of the Royal Scots. The precise number has never been known. The regiments records were destroyed in the fire. The Board of Trade examiner, Colonel Druitt, estimated the number at 215 dead and 191 injured. Less than 60 were able to muster for roll call later that afternoon. The crew of the troop train died instantly in the first collision. Casualties on the other trains were much lighter. The metal construction of the carriages forming the express train restricted the casualties to seven deaths and 54 serious injuries, including 3 railway servants. Two passengers on the local train died but there were no other serious injuries.

Quintinshill Tinsley was sentenced to three years penal servitude and Meakin to eighteen months in prison. At the conclusion of their sentence they returned to work on the Caledonian Railway

Quintinshill On 22 May 1915, Quintinshill, just outside Gretna was the scene of the worst disaster in British Railways history. 7 trains were due to pass.

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Quintinshill On 22 May 1915, Quintinshill, just outside Gretna was the scene of the worst disaster in British Railways history. 7 trains were due to pass.

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Presentation on theme: "Quintinshill On 22 May 1915, Quintinshill, just outside Gretna was the scene of the worst disaster in British Railways history. 7 trains were due to pass."— Presentation transcript:

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