36 years ago today at the exact time I type this, I was on a train into work in London. Like any other work day, I sat reading a newspaper as the train trundled through Clapham Junction station. This would not be like any other day for commuters on trains running a few minutes behind me.
That day, one of the worst train disasters in UK history occurred south of Clapham Junction railway station. A crowded commuter train crashed into the rear of another train that had stopped at a red signal. An empty train traveling in the opposite direction then sideswiped the stationary train. 35 people died in the collision, while 484 were injured, 69 seriously.
Obviously i was oblivious to the carnage that was unfolding behind me. This was before mobile phones and rolling news channels. It was only later in the day that I was told about the crash. Even then, it took several hours for the seriousness of it to become clear.
The collision was the result of a signal failure caused by a wiring fault. New wiring had been installed, but the old wiring had been left in place and not adequately secured. The required supervision hadn't been performed. A contributing factor to the number of casualties was the old wooden-framed carriages that disintergrated on impact.
There's a memorial plaque on the side of the railway line where the accident occurred. Tens of thousands of travelers pass it everyday, but few even know of its existence or what it commemorates. I still sometimes pass through Clapham Junction station on a train. When I do, I sometimes wonder what could have happened if I had been running a few minutes late that day. Could I have been on a train that was involved in the crash?
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