Details of the Accident

Place Barnes, Surrey, England
Date Friday 2nd December 1955, 11.28 p.m.
Railway Company British Railways (Southern Region)
No. of Fatalities 13
Cause of Accident Error by Signalman
Description The 23:12 electric passenger train travelling from Waterloo to Windsor and Chertsey collided with the rear of a LMS class 8 2-8-0 hauled freight train from Herne Hill to Brent at about 35 mph. The wreckage from the passenger train short-circuited the third rail and electrical arcing started a fire in the wooden coach frames; the leading coach of the passenger train was burnt out. The coaches were classified as 2-NOL and were converted in the 1930s from old LSWR steam carriages

Sources/Further Reading

  • Steam World magazine, May 1996 (briefly in connection with similar accident at Maze Hill, 1958)
  • The Times, 2nd Dec 1955
  • The Times, 3rd Dec 1955
  • The Times, 8th Dec 1955

List of Fatalities

The 13 fatalities are listed in the table below together with brief notes of any other information found so far.

The last column shows the General Register Office (England and Wales), Statutory Register (Scotland), General Register Northern Ireland or Civil Registration for Ireland reference where this has been identified.

Surname First Names Age Occupation Residence Notes GRO/SR/GRONI/GROIE Reference
BEARDAdrienne M.20Alton Gardens, Twickenham, MDX1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 639
BRAIDPeter Karl42Fighting Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, Chobham Lane, Chertsey, SRY, Lieutenant-Colonel1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 639
CROUCHBernard Easterbrook30Clerk for London County CouncilBaybrook Avenue, Egham, SRYInternational table tennis player and well known lawn tennis player (ranked no.3 in Surrey).1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 640
DAVANDavid A.18Lyndhurst Avenue, Twickenham, MDX1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 638
DOYLEMargery Silvia40, Married. Husband injured in crash.1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 639
FLANDERSWilfred G.55Railway driverJohn Kay Court, Latcham Road, Sheperton, SRYDriver of the electric train.1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 640
FOSTERJack G.20Student at Shoreditch Teacher Trainee College, Egham SRY Inigo Road, Stoneycroft, Liverpool, LAN1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 639
HINMANErnest Alfred45Railway guardRobert Street, Regent's Park, London NW1, LND1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 639
JAMESAnita22Evelyn Road, Richmond, SRY1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 638
MAIDENJames22Student at Shoreditch Teacher Trainee College, Egham SRY Langwith Road, Bolsover, DBYDied of injuries.1956/Mar Wandsworth 5d 1075
ROUSSELLouis Tristan38, From Mauritius.Student at Shoreditch Teacher Trainee College, Egham SRY
SCOONESLaura27Clarence Street, Staines, MDXUnmarried1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 639
WARDHerbert Thomas61Railway driverColne Road, Twickenham, MDXTravelling as a passenger.1956/Mar Surrey N. 5g 640