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Posted by Editor on 3rd January 2012 at 04:33 PM
Video: 70th anniversary of Eccles crash disaster
by Tony Flynn

On Friday, December 30th, a memorial event was held to remember the 70th anniversary of the Eccles rail crash which killed 23 people and injured over 50.

The Friends of Eccles Railway Station (FRECCLES) joined together with The Friends of Patricroft Station (FROPS) and family members of those who died to honour the memory of this now little-recorded incident.

The crash happened at 8.15am on Friday, December 30th 1941 when two trains collided in thick fog at the east end of the station.

The Kenyon to Manchester train had just left Eccles railway station when it was hit by the Rochdale to Pennington train travelling about 35 miles per hour in the opposite direction.

The emergency services battled for over five hours to remove the bodies and treat the injured passengers.

The injury toll was probably so high because in those days, the train carriages were made of wood which could not withstand the impact that a modern day steel carriage could, also the risk of fire was considerably higher.

For Bert Cresswell, then aged 17, this memorial service was particularly poignant.

His father Jack who was an employee of British Rail was a passenger on the Eccles train.

Bert was working at a company on Mode Wheel Road, Weaste when news came in of the crash. He raced to the station and peered over the railway bridge at Gilda Brook but was unable to see anything because of the thick fog, he made frantic phone calls to local hospitals enquiring about his father, a phone call to the police gave him the shattering news that his father was amongst those killed, leaving a widow and four children.

Incredibly it was left to young Bert to break this heart breaking news to his mother who lived at Highfield Drive, Monton.

When I spoke to him at Eccles train station he was still visibily emotional about the events of December 30th.

An enquiry was held into the cause of the crash and blame was given to the signalman who should have have held the Pennington train at Cross Lane until the Kenyon train had left Eccles, also the driver of the Pennington train had given his fireman signal spotting duties, and despite the heavy fog accepted his assurances that the signals were clear to continue.

Strangely enough my mother who at the time was working at Croft Laundry in Seedley was working in the office with a young girl from Leigh, who was aged only 18, and she too was to perish in the train crash along with her sister, possibly her twin I seem to recall.

FRECCLES and FROPS are hoping to raise money for a plaque to be installed on Eccles railway station to commemorate this sad day in Eccles' history.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by beekeeper ( member )  4th January 2012
invitations were sent to M.Ps local councillors and the mayors office as far as we know none attended

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Joe Bradaun ( member )  3rd January 2012
Chokes me up watching bert.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Joe Bradaun ( member )  3rd January 2012
I read about this a couple of days ago, I was quite amazed, such a tragedy and great loss of life and I'd never even heard about it! very sad story and a memorial plaque is well in order, perhaps the rail owners could chip in?

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Lee Taylor ( member )  3rd January 2012
Good to see the tragedy is being commemorated. I agree that a placque should be erected on the station. Were any Rail officials or local councillor's present on the day ?

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