DERAILMENT AT CHIPPING SODBURY

On September 20, 1966, the train consisting of 46 empty six-wheel milk tank wagons and two bogie brake vans, and travelling along the down main line at a speed well above the maximum of 50 mile/h allowed for empty milk tanks derailed when the trailing wheels under the 30th tank wagon became derailed. The train ran on for 1-1/2 miles to Chipping Sodbury Station where the derailed wheels struck the connection just short of the platform, causing the rear section of the train to become detached and derailed. Calculations suggested that the train speed was 60 to 65 mile/h when the brakes were applied. The cause of this derailment was excess of speed. The milk tank left the rails because of its inherent instability at speeds above its limit rather than any specific fault in the milk tank itself or any serious imperfection in the track.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1968-1-19

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 73
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 124

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Derailments; Freight cars; Motor vehicles; Railroad cars; Railroad trains; Stability (Mechanics); Tank cars; Technology; Vehicle dynamics; Velocity
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00039485
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 13 1976 12:00AM