Events in
Local History

The
Stratford Tube Crash

1953

Stratford Tunnel.

On the evening of the 8th of April 1953 at 6.55 p.m. a London Central Line 'underground' train bound for Epping ploughed into the back of of another Central Line train that was heading for Hainault via Newbury Park. This happened just 300 yards from Stratford's tube station where the line curved into a tunnel.

Nine people - seven men, one woman and her 2 year-old son, died on the spot, another two men died within the next few days Many others were injured to varying degrees including the 45 year-old driver of the Epping train who later had to have his severely injured leg amputated

As is often usual on these occasions, many acts of heroism and devotion to duty were forthcoming from emergency service personel, including nurses from the nearby Queen Mary's hospital and local firemen.

Signal failure was later put forward as the most likely cause of the accident (sound familiar? ).

© Lal Cook.

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