Coal Wagon Derailment - Cleckheaton, UK - Railway Disaster Sites on Waymarking.com

Luckily there were no injuries despite the fact that they crushed a butcher's shop as they fell to the ground.

This railway is no longer in use and has been converted into The Spen Valley Greenway cycle path used by cyclists, walkers and horse riders.

The site of the crash next to the bridge had become derelict and the Spen Valley Civic Society arranged for the area to be tided and paved, the bridge to be sand blasted, and a plaque to be erected to commemorate this event.

'A ROAR LIKE THUNDER'

ON THE EVENING OF 22 JUNE 1928 SEVEN COAL WAGONS
PLUNGED OFF THIS RAILWAY BRIDGE INTO WESTGATE.

A COAL TRAIN WAS BEING SHUNTED INTO SIDINGS TO
MAKE WAY FOR THE LONDON EXPRESS. a COUPLING
BROKE AND THE WAGONS RAN AWAY MAKING A SOUND
LIKE A FEARFUL ROLL OF THUNDER.

THEY CRASHED THROUGH THE BUFFERS AND LANDED ON
THE BUTCHER'S SHOP THAT STOOD HERE FLATTENING IT.
MIRACULOUSLY NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THE CLOUD OF
COAL DUST TURNED SEVERAL PEOPLE BLACK AS INK.

SPEN VALLEY CIVIC SOCIETY CLEANED THIS BRIDGE AND
TIDIED THIS CORNER, FUNDED BY BIFFAWARD AND
KIRKLEES M.C.

The civic society also rected a small metal illustration of the falling trains and a bench made from train wheels.

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