On 4 July 1971, a ballast train passing through Surbiton derailed into the path of a Portsmouth Harbour passenger service approaching at 72 miles an hour.

The collision left the leading passenger carriage on its side, damaged both trains and tore up the railway. Remarkably, nobody lost their life.

But why had an empty wagon in the middle of the ballast train left the rails?

This time on Signals to Danger, we follow the investigation from the wreckage at Surbiton back to the sidings at Clapham Junction. Marks on rails and buffers revealed a dangerous condition which could travel with a train—and the checks which might have stopped it reaching the main line.

Investigation report: https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=1128

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Signals to Danger is a UK railway history and safety podcast exploring rail accidents, incidents and the investigations that followed them. From historic railway disasters to modern rail safety and current events, each episode looks beyond what happened to understand why it happened, what was learned and how those lessons continue to shape the railway today.

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