The Burscough Junction Station Crash occurred on 15 January 1880 at the

Burscough Junction railway station Burscough Junction pronounced (Burs/co Junction) is one of two railway stations serving the town of Burscough in Lancashire, England. It is sited on the Ormskirk Branch Line, north of and is served by Northern Trains. The station was the sce ...

on the

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

to railway line in England. The line was operated by the

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) was a major History of rail transport in Great Britain, British railway company before the Railways Act 1921, 1923 Grouping. It was Incorporation (business)#Incorporation in the United Kingdom, incorpo ...

company at the time. There were nine people killed in the accident and more than fifty people were injured. The cause of the accident was a combination of human error, a defective and inadequate signalling system and an inadequate track layout which could not cope with complex train movements. The Liverpool to Preston line is carried over the Southport to Wigan Line by embankments and a bridge shortly after leaving Burscough Junction Station heading towards Preston, the lines crossing almost at 90 degrees. Two spur lines had been built to connect the Liverpool to Preston railway line to the

Wigan Wigan ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. It is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its ad ...

to railway line, these spur lines being known as the

Burscough Curves Burscough Junction pronounced (Burs/co Junction) is one of two railway stations serving the town of Burscough in Lancashire, England. It is sited on the Ormskirk Branch Line, north of and is served by Northern Trains. The station was the sce ...

. This meant that complicated train movements were being made between the two railway lines, e.g. as both lines were double tracked trains from Southport to Ormskirk, which used the more southerly of the spurs, had first to cross the Wigan to Southport track and then on leaving the spur cross the northbound line from Liverpool to Preston in order to reach the southbound Preston to Liverpool track leading to Ormskirk. At approximately 6:05 pm the southbound train left the station heading for having been turned onto the downline by the

signalman A signalman is a rank who makes signals using flags and light. The role has evolved and now usually uses electronic communication equipment. Signalmen usually work in rail transport networks, armed forces, or construction (to direct heavy equi ...

on duty at . 200 yards south of the station, adjacent to the Brickfield (Platts Lane)

siding Siding may refer to: * Siding (construction), the outer covering or cladding of a house * Siding (rail) In rail terminology, a siding is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line, branch lin ...

, the train collided with the Liverpool to Preston train which had left Liverpool at 5:30 pm. The northbound train was eventually due to carry on to to disembark passengers for the

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

steamer ferry.''Sydney Morning Herald'', 17 March 1880 The first two carriages of both trains were completely shattered and the passengers thrown about in all directions. Those who could, scrambled out of the wreckage to be met by railway officials who had heard the collision and were making their way toward the site of the crash. A number of medical gentlemen arrived by special train and rendered very valuable services. The injured were taken to Preston Infirmary by special train at 10:00pm. The

pointsman A switchman (North America) also known as pointsman (British Isles) or yardman (Commonwealth) is a rail transport worker whose original job was to operate various railway switches or points on a railroad. It also refers to a person who assis ...

, Anthony Melia, from Burscough Junction station was taken into custody and appeared at the subsequent inquiry. Anthony Melia was found not guilty, by the inquiry, of criminal negligence Dr Hall of Preston, who was a passenger on one of the trains rendered valuable assistance at the scene of the accident''Aberdeen Weekly Journal'', 16 January 1880

Aftermath

As a result of the accident the

promised to carry out improvements to the station to prevent a similar disaster occurring. Over the next two years new

signal boxes On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timeta ...

were installed and the entire points system reviewed to allow shunting and local train movements to be independent of main line train operations. No memorial to the crash exists on the site.

Victims

Known Fatalities

*Edward Sutton, Ormskirk. Aged 36. Guard, Burscough train. *Thomas Looney, Ormskirk. Aged 50. Engine driver, Burscough train. *Robert Sanderson. Aged 20. Fireman, Burscough train. *Robert Montgomery, Preston. Aged 38. Hatter and clothier.GRO Index England & Wales Vol. 8e Pg. 385 *Robert Clarkson, Preston Aged 39 Fireman, Liverpool express. *James Haythornthwaite,

Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2021 population of 78,266. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River B ...

Aged 21 Wholesale potato dealer. *Michael Boyle,

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830 ...

Aged 40 Butcher *William Rawcliffe, Preston Aged 21

Draper Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. History Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period ...

's assistant *John Henry Crossfield, died 2 February 1880 in Preston Infirmary after having his leg amputated the Sunday prior.

Known Injured Persons/Passengers

''Leeds Mercury'', 17 January 1880, p10 * Frederick Beach, Blackburn (fractured leg) * Robert Bickerbank, Preston (fractured arm) * John Bullfield, Preston. Engine driver, Liverpool express.(cuts to head and face, scalded) * James Brundell, Rufforth. Farmer.(head cuts) * John Connor, Preston (lacerated ankle) * Mrs Cropper, Burscough. (badly injured) * Mr James Culshaw, Liverpool &

Southport Southport is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It lies on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea, approximately north of ...

. Sailor or solicitor. (bad concussion) * John Dickinson,

Croston Croston is a village and civil parish near Chorley in Lancashire, England. The River Yarrow flows through the village. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 2,917. History Croston was founded in the 7th century whe ...

. Hay & straw dealer.(fracture of left leg) * James Dixon,

Ormskirk Ormskirk is a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It is located north of Liverpool, northwest of St Helens, Merseyside, St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. Ormski ...

. School attendance officer.(fractured ribs, spinal injury, severe concussion) * Sarah Edmonson, aged 12, stepdaughter to Wm Younds. (leg injury and shock) * John Graham, Pointsman * Dr Hall, Preston * Betsy Hartley, Green Haworth * Betty Haworth, Accrington * Rishton Howarth, Accrington. Beer-seller * Elizabeth Iddon ('otherwise Meadows'),

Burscough Burscough () is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the district of West Lancashire, Lancashire, England. The town is located approximately north-northeast of Liverpool and southwest of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. Its north ...

(dislocation of leg and knee, scalp wound) * Mrs Kirk, Liverpool * Mr T. Kissack, Southport. Architect * Fred Leech,

Blackburn Blackburn () is an industrial town and the administrative centre of the Blackburn with Darwen borough in Lancashire, England. The town is north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the River Ribble, Ribble Valley, east of Preston ...

(fractured leg) * Mr Leicester, Ormskirk. * James Martland, Burscough. Potato dealer.(severe shock) * Jane McGrovey (McPearcy?), Liverpool * William Mercer (Jnr), Ormskirk. Brewer (fractured leg) * John O'Connor, Blackburn (lacerated leg) * James Orritt, Ormskirk. Butcher, (severely shaken) * Robert Pickaavant, Preston (fractured arm) * Anne Price, aged 12, niece of Mrs Iddon (head injury) * John Proctor, Ainsdale, Southport (fractured leg and severe facial cuts) * Mrs Rawcliffe, Preston. Hosier (compound leg fracture) - her husband died * James Rimmer, Aughton Moss (shock) * Mrs Rimmer, Aughton Moss. (shock) * William Scott, Skipton (lacerated) * John Shorrock, Birkdale. Farmer.(injury to ribs and shock) * Richard Shaw,

Scarisbrick Scarisbrick () is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in West Lancashire, England. The A570 road, A570, the main road between Ormskirk and Southport, runs through Scarisbrick, and much of the village lies along it. As a result ...

. Farmer.(injury to eye, head, leg) * Moses Smith. Guard on the express. (Nose injury and shock) * Mary Staniforth, Plough Inn, Preston * Mr Thomason, Ormskirk (leg badly hurt) * Mr Thompson, Waterloo, Liverpool (head injuries) * Henry Thwaites, Preston (both legs broken and collar bone) * Mr Watson, Halstall-Lane. (shock) * John Yonds & step-daughter,

* William Younds, canal boat captain (severe cuts to face and leg) * Hannah Younds, wife of William. (fractured ribs)

References

{{coord, 53.59163, N, 2.84758, W, type:event_region:GB, display=title Railway accidents in 1880 Railway accidents and incidents in Lancashire 1880s in Lancashire 1880 in England Burscough 1880 disasters 1880s disasters in the United Kingdom