DMU Accident

Dowdyke Bank Level Crossing, between Spalding and Boston, ER - 28/01/70

As a sewage disposal tanker lorry was slowly traversing a level crossing it was struck by the 13.50 (2D61) Peterborough to Skegness 2-car DMU (50020 & 56020) travelling at 50mph.

The tanker lorry was almost totally destroyed as the impact hurled the tanker into the side of the crossing keeper’s house and came to rest approximately 70ft from the point of impact. The driver of the lorry was injured and his mate was killed. The train came to rest 430 ft from the crossing with the leading bogie of the first coach derailed and both bogies of the second vehicle derailed. Both coaches were severely damaged. The driver and guard of the train were slightly injured and all six passengers in the train, along with the crossing keeper and a railwayman travelling as a passenger suffered shock.

The accident was caused by the level crossing gates being opened from their normal padlocked position across the road to permit the passage of the lorry as the train was approaching. The accident was attributed to the crossing keeper opening the gates despite the line indicator showing ‘Train in Section’.

DOE; b/c; 10pp; inc general layout diagram, sketch showing front view of crossing indicators, location diagram; instructions to crossing keeper (P.M. Oliver).