Britain: Commuters' Nightmare

Commuters' Nightmare

Monday morning, 8:13. The daily commuter train out of the prosperous town of Basingstoke, 46 miles southwest of London, was idling a quarter-mile from Clapham Junction, Europe's busiest railway intersection, while driver Alex McClymont used a trackside phone to report a faulty signal. Tragically, it was too late for that. McClymont watched in helpless horror as a packed express train from the Channel coast rounded the curve at 50 m.p.h. and slashed into the rear of the stopped train. Seconds later an empty passenger train on an adjacent track slammed into the wreckage.

It was the worst British train disaster in...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!