745 at Slaght

[K801]

Anybody know what happened 745 at Slaght? ( Pic from ebay)

 

[Galteemore]

https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2438869

Basic story at the link above.

 

and also here : https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1991-07-10a.1022.0

Edited January 10, 2021 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

At Slaght, the young lady driving stalled on the crossing just as a down Derry train was approaching. As she tried to re-start her car, tragically the railcar hit it full force, actually breaking it in two. The driver was tragically killed, but toddler(s) in the back seat had a miraculous escape due to the front of the car taking the main impact, and the fact that the children were securely strapped into child seats. I can't remember whether it was one child or two, but I seem to recall a report of a baby being unscathed.

Horrible, truly ghastly tragedy; a friend of mine knew the train driver who was understandably traumatised.

[seagoebox]

10 page report plus 2 diagrams...

[NIRCLASS80]

Photo showing the sad aftermath of the accident.  Power car 90 still survives at Downpatrick.

[Colin_McLeod]

On 11/1/2021 at 12:10 AM, jhb171achill said:

At Slaght, the young lady driving stalled on the crossing just as a down Derry train was approaching. As she tried to re-start her car, tragically the railcar hit it full force, actually breaking it in two. The driver was tragically killed, but toddler(s) in the back seat had a miraculous escape due to the front of the car taking the main impact, and the fact that the children were securely strapped into child seats. I can't remember whether it was one child or two, but I seem to recall a report of a baby being unscathed.

Horrible, truly ghastly tragedy; a friend of mine knew the train driver who was understandably traumatised.

Jonathan, I just spotted this post.  It was the Tweeds Accommodation Crossing where the motorist stalled as you have described.

At Slaght, the crossing was not working but the train came anyway, hence the train driver being tried for manslaughter.  Two adults in the car died and two children in the car were seriously injured.  One railway passenger died and 27 injured.

[Colin_McLeod]

@jhb171achill the motorist was not injured at Tweed's crossing. The person who was killed there was a passenger in the train.   His mother and the motorist (who got everyone out of the car in time) were work colleagues.  Her husband  was Billy  Tweed, part of the NIR PW team at the time.

[jhb171achill]

58 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

@jhb171achill the motorist was not injured at Tweed's crossing. The person who was killed there was a passenger in the train.   His mother and the motorist (who got everyone out of the car in time) were work colleagues.  Her husband  was Billy  Tweed, part of the NIR PW team at the time.

This is the sort of “human” story which is so often overlooked, yet brings home the sheer horror and tragedy of an incident like this.