Knowledge (XXG)

Wootton bridge collapse

Source 📝

289: 281: 24: 1044: 480: 475: 130: 324:
of 1847, when another cast iron bridge had failed. Cast iron should not have been used in this safety-critical application, and the design seems very strange, using cast iron where timber baulks would have sufficed. The bridge had been built in 1844, well before the Dee accident, and patched with the
311:
girders which supported the base of the wooden bridge had all fractured near their centres, and so caused the accident. One in particular had been mended some years before, and he thought that the failure had started here. Angle iron had been fitted along the girder to support a crack in the flange,
329:
in December, 1879 with over 75 casualties in the passenger express passing over the viaduct at the time the cast iron columns collapsed. The problem did not end there, however, because so much cast iron had been used on the rail network. A cast iron under-bridge failed suddenly under a train during
312:
and had been bolted onto the cast iron. Far from strengthening the girder it had actually weakened it further. In hindsight, it is likely that cracks in the girders had grown to a critical size during the initial passage of the heavy train, which then gave way when the empty train returned.
267:
Company. The train had passed over the bridge safely in the morning with a full load of coal, and was returning to Kenilworth with the empty wagons at 7 am. The 30 ton locomotive fell through the deck of the bridge onto the road below, and the
514: 325:
angle iron in 1853. The discovery of the cracked girder should have alerted engineers to the problem, and all should have been replaced entirely. Cast iron failures remained a problem for many years, culminating in the fall of the
1086: 507: 334:
in 1882, killing five passengers on the train. The event which really focused minds occurred in 1891, when another girder failed under the Brighton express. Although no-one was killed, the furore caused by the
1047: 1043: 500: 1066: 272:
crashed into the cab, killing driver and fireman instantly. Many of the empty wagons behind were dragged into the gap to form a pile almost up to the height of nearby telegraph poles.
1081: 53: 412: 1076: 544: 1101: 523: 231: 811: 603: 288: 1091: 358: 405: 280: 1071: 929: 75: 187: 861: 615: 568: 538: 264: 1019: 802: 483: 479: 474: 470: 398: 90: 935: 867: 597: 458: 336: 787: 1013: 965: 550: 339:
led to a survey of all under-bridges. Several thousand were eventually found, and ultimately strengthened or replaced.
36: 1007: 817: 722: 609: 177: 46: 40: 32: 1025: 1001: 941: 728: 671: 492: 452: 1096: 995: 977: 953: 835: 781: 662: 556: 446: 57: 989: 971: 903: 888: 879: 873: 763: 695: 650: 621: 574: 894: 769: 757: 627: 983: 959: 947: 829: 823: 713: 689: 380: 707: 677: 909: 793: 562: 300: 841: 751: 580: 321: 296: 385: 374: 745: 683: 354: 775: 331: 326: 304: 256: 1060: 269: 390: 252: 248: 244: 159: 155: 260: 1040:
indicates railway accidents and incidents resulting in at least 20 fatalities
105: 92: 644: 308: 129: 255:
collapsed under the weight of a passing goods train on the line between
701: 243:
occurred on 11 June 1861, when the rail bridge over the road between
1087:
Accidents and incidents involving London and North Western Railway
287: 279: 496: 394: 17: 351:
Disaster on the Dee: Robert Stephenson's Nemesis of 1847
524:
Railway accidents and incidents in the United Kingdom
922: 854: 738: 637: 590: 531: 433: 222: 214: 206: 201: 193: 183: 173: 165: 151: 141: 136: 122: 45:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks 1067:Railway accidents and incidents in Warwickshire 508: 406: 8: 1082:Bridge disasters caused by maintenance error 515: 501: 493: 413: 399: 391: 128: 119: 76:Learn how and when to remove this message 381:Discussion of bridge failures in Britain 303:examined the accident on behalf of the 1077:Bridge disasters in the United Kingdom 292:Mended cast iron girder after cracking 320:It is memorable for coming after the 7: 1102:1861 disasters in the United Kingdom 284:Original section of cast iron girder 188:London & North Western Railway 14: 232:List of UK rail accidents by year 1042: 478: 473: 265:London and North Western Railway 22: 386:Full discussion of the failure 337:Norwood Junction rail accident 1: 1092:19th century in Warwickshire 307:. He reported that the five 178:Coventry to Leamington Line 1118: 1072:Railway accidents in 1861 1035: 812:Kildwick & Crosshills 468: 421:Railway accidents in 1861 230: 127: 459:St. Joseph, Missouri, US 377:from the Railway Archive 31:This article includes a 241:Wootton bridge collapse 123:Wootton bridge collapse 60:more precise citations. 293: 285: 441:Leek Wootton, England 353:. Tempus Publishing. 291: 283: 349:Lewis, P.R. (2007). 301:Railway Inspectorate 106:52.31687°N 1.56457°W 868:Wennington Junction 803:Shipton-on-Cherwell 322:Dee bridge disaster 297:Henry Whatley Tyler 102: /  862:Burscough Junction 294: 286: 111:52.31687; -1.56457 33:list of references 1054: 1053: 930:Norton Fitzwarren 490: 489: 434:Location and date 360:978-0-7524-4266-2 316:Similar accidents 237: 236: 86: 85: 78: 1109: 1097:June 1861 events 1046: 936:Norwood Junction 788:Bo'ness Junction 616:Reading Southern 517: 510: 503: 494: 482: 477: 447:Clayton, England 428: 426: 415: 408: 401: 392: 364: 332:Inverythan crash 132: 120: 117: 116: 114: 113: 112: 107: 103: 100: 99: 98: 95: 81: 74: 70: 67: 61: 56:this article by 47:inline citations 26: 25: 18: 1117: 1116: 1112: 1111: 1110: 1108: 1107: 1106: 1057: 1056: 1055: 1050: 1041: 1031: 1020:Wrawby Junction 942:Esholt Junction 918: 850: 734: 729:Dalton Junction 633: 586: 569:Sonning Cutting 527: 521: 491: 486: 464: 453:London, England 429: 424: 422: 419: 371: 361: 348: 345: 327:Tay Rail Bridge 318: 278: 146: 110: 108: 104: 101: 96: 93: 91: 89: 88: 82: 71: 65: 62: 51: 37:related reading 27: 23: 12: 11: 5: 1115: 1113: 1105: 1104: 1099: 1094: 1089: 1084: 1079: 1074: 1069: 1059: 1058: 1052: 1051: 1036: 1033: 1032: 1030: 1029: 1023: 1017: 1014:Wellingborough 1011: 1005: 999: 993: 987: 981: 975: 969: 963: 957: 951: 945: 939: 933: 926: 924: 920: 919: 917: 916: 907: 901: 892: 886: 877: 871: 865: 858: 856: 852: 851: 849: 848: 839: 833: 827: 821: 815: 809: 800: 791: 785: 779: 773: 767: 761: 755: 749: 742: 740: 736: 735: 733: 732: 726: 720: 711: 705: 699: 693: 687: 681: 675: 669: 663:Clayton Tunnel 660: 654: 648: 641: 639: 635: 634: 632: 631: 625: 619: 613: 607: 601: 594: 592: 588: 587: 585: 584: 578: 572: 566: 560: 554: 548: 542: 535: 533: 529: 528: 522: 520: 519: 512: 505: 497: 488: 487: 469: 466: 465: 463: 462: 456: 450: 444: 437: 435: 431: 430: 420: 418: 417: 410: 403: 395: 389: 388: 383: 378: 370: 369:External links 367: 366: 365: 359: 344: 341: 317: 314: 305:Board of Trade 277: 274: 257:Leamington Spa 235: 234: 228: 227: 224: 220: 219: 216: 212: 211: 208: 204: 203: 199: 198: 197:Bridge failure 195: 191: 190: 185: 181: 180: 175: 171: 170: 167: 163: 162: 153: 149: 148: 143: 139: 138: 134: 133: 125: 124: 84: 83: 41:external links 30: 28: 21: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1114: 1103: 1100: 1098: 1095: 1093: 1090: 1088: 1085: 1083: 1080: 1078: 1075: 1073: 1070: 1068: 1065: 1064: 1062: 1049: 1045: 1039: 1034: 1027: 1024: 1021: 1018: 1015: 1012: 1009: 1006: 1003: 1000: 997: 994: 991: 988: 985: 982: 979: 976: 973: 970: 967: 964: 961: 958: 955: 952: 949: 946: 943: 940: 937: 934: 931: 928: 927: 925: 921: 915: 911: 908: 905: 902: 900: 896: 893: 890: 887: 885: 881: 878: 875: 872: 869: 866: 863: 860: 859: 857: 853: 847: 843: 840: 837: 834: 831: 828: 825: 822: 819: 818:Abbots Ripton 816: 813: 810: 808: 804: 801: 799: 795: 792: 789: 786: 783: 780: 777: 774: 771: 768: 765: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 743: 741: 737: 730: 727: 724: 721: 719: 715: 712: 709: 706: 703: 700: 697: 696:Welwyn Tunnel 694: 691: 688: 685: 682: 679: 676: 673: 670: 668: 664: 661: 658: 655: 652: 649: 646: 643: 642: 640: 636: 629: 626: 623: 620: 617: 614: 611: 608: 605: 602: 599: 598:Sutton Tunnel 596: 595: 593: 589: 582: 579: 576: 573: 570: 567: 564: 561: 558: 555: 552: 549: 546: 543: 540: 537: 536: 534: 530: 525: 518: 513: 511: 506: 504: 499: 498: 495: 485: 481: 476: 472: 467: 461:(3 September) 460: 457: 455:(2 September) 454: 451: 448: 445: 442: 439: 438: 436: 432: 416: 411: 409: 404: 402: 397: 396: 393: 387: 384: 382: 379: 376: 373: 372: 368: 362: 356: 352: 347: 346: 342: 340: 338: 333: 328: 323: 315: 313: 310: 306: 302: 298: 290: 282: 276:Investigation 275: 273: 271: 266: 263:owned by the 262: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 233: 229: 225: 221: 217: 213: 209: 205: 200: 196: 192: 189: 186: 182: 179: 176: 172: 168: 164: 161: 157: 154: 150: 145:11 June 1861 144: 140: 135: 131: 126: 121: 118: 115: 80: 77: 69: 59: 55: 49: 48: 42: 38: 34: 29: 20: 19: 16: 1037: 913: 898: 883: 845: 806: 797: 770:Kirtlebridge 717: 672:Kentish Town 666: 656: 539:Philadelphia 440: 350: 319: 295: 253:Warwickshire 249:Hill Wootton 245:Leek Wootton 240: 238: 160:Warwickshire 156:Leek Wootton 87: 72: 63: 52:Please help 44: 15: 1026:Potters Bar 1002:Potters Bar 984:Welshampton 954:Llantrisant 912:(Jun 1889) 897:(Sep 1887) 882:(Jul 1884) 844:(Dec 1879) 805:(Dec 1874) 796:(Sep 1874) 723:Maesycwmmer 716:(Aug 1868) 690:Staplehurst 665:(Aug 1861) 532:Before 1850 526:, 1815–1899 449:(25 August) 375:Full report 109: / 58:introducing 1061:Categories 1028:(May 1899) 1022:(Oct 1898) 1016:(Sep 1898) 1010:(Mar 1898) 1004:(Mar 1898) 998:(Nov 1897) 992:(Oct 1897) 986:(Jun 1897) 980:(Feb 1897) 974:(Apr 1896) 968:(Nov 1895) 962:(Dec 1894) 956:(Aug 1893) 950:(Nov 1892) 944:(Jun 1892) 938:(May 1891) 932:(Nov 1890) 906:(Mar 1889) 891:(Jan 1885) 876:(Nov 1882) 874:Inverythan 870:(Aug 1880) 864:(Jan 1880) 842:Tay Bridge 838:(Mar 1877) 832:(Nov 1876) 826:(Aug 1876) 820:(Jan 1876) 814:(Aug 1875) 790:(Jan 1874) 784:(Dec 1873) 778:(Aug 1873) 772:(Oct 1872) 766:(Dec 1870) 760:(Dec 1870) 754:(Sep 1870) 748:(Jun 1870) 731:(Dec 1869) 725:(Jun 1869) 710:(Jun 1867) 708:Warrington 704:(Feb 1867) 698:(Jun 1866) 692:(Jun 1865) 686:(Jun 1865) 680:(Oct 1862) 678:Winchburgh 674:(Sep 1861) 659:(Jun 1861) 653:(Nov 1860) 651:Atherstone 647:(Sep 1860) 630:(Aug 1858) 624:(Jun 1857) 618:(Sep 1855) 612:(Oct 1853) 606:(Jun 1852) 600:(Apr 1851) 583:(May 1847) 581:Dee Bridge 577:(Oct 1845) 571:(Dec 1841) 565:(Aug 1840) 559:(Aug 1838) 553:(Dec 1836) 547:(Sep 1830) 541:(Jul 1815) 343:References 261:Kenilworth 215:Passengers 202:Statistics 94:52°19′01″N 66:March 2012 1048:1900–1999 996:Menheniot 990:Penistone 978:Menheniot 904:Penistone 895:Hexthorpe 889:Penistone 880:Penistone 782:Menheniot 758:Stairfoot 645:Helmshore 628:Round Oak 575:Penistone 443:(11 June) 309:cast iron 97:1°33′52″W 1008:St Johns 966:St Neots 960:Chelford 824:Radstock 764:Hatfield 752:Tamworth 714:Abergele 622:Lewisham 610:Straffan 551:Wetheral 545:Parkside 184:Operator 152:Location 972:Snowdon 836:Morpeth 702:Yanwath 657:Wootton 604:Burnley 423: ( 299:of the 169:England 166:Country 137:Details 54:improve 948:Thirsk 910:Armagh 830:Heeley 794:Thorpe 746:Newark 684:Rednal 563:Howden 557:Harrow 357:  270:tender 223:Deaths 207:Trains 147:~07:15 923:1890s 855:1880s 776:Wigan 739:1870s 638:1860s 591:1850s 194:Cause 39:, or 484:1862 471:1860 425:1861 355:ISBN 330:the 259:and 247:and 239:The 174:Line 142:Date 251:in 1063:: 158:, 43:, 35:, 1038:‡ 914:‡ 899:‡ 884:‡ 846:‡ 807:‡ 798:‡ 718:‡ 667:‡ 516:e 509:t 502:v 427:) 414:e 407:t 400:v 363:. 226:2 218:0 210:1 79:) 73:( 68:) 64:( 50:.

Index

list of references
related reading
external links
inline citations
improve
introducing
Learn how and when to remove this message
52°19′01″N 1°33′52″W / 52.31687°N 1.56457°W / 52.31687; -1.56457

Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
Coventry to Leamington Line
London & North Western Railway
List of UK rail accidents by year
Leek Wootton
Hill Wootton
Warwickshire
Leamington Spa
Kenilworth
London and North Western Railway
tender


Henry Whatley Tyler
Railway Inspectorate
Board of Trade
cast iron
Dee bridge disaster
Tay Rail Bridge
Inverythan crash

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.