This is a test of GDPR / Cookie Acceptance [about our cookies]
Really irritating test - cookie expires in 24 hour!
Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
As at 21st November 2024 12:49 GMT
 
Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by Witham Bobby at 12:49, 9th July 2024
 
When this occurred, I had left the big railway, and was busy re-opening the WSR.  One of the more human management who I was acquainted with in Westbury days had recently moved on promotion to Area Management at Taunton, and we were often in touch.  It was his on-the-spot job to deal with this tragedy.  I didn't envy him at all.

I remember seeing the affected sleeping cars in the loco yard at Taunton, covered by tarpaulins.  Shook me rigid to see them

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:19, 6th July 2024
 
Thanks for that additional link, grahame. 

I'm rather embarrassed that I had completely forgotten that very sad incident - even though I started this topic.

Those links to the BBC site still work and I recommend a look at them for some more detail.  It must have been a shocking early morning incident for everyone involved to deal with.

CfN 

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by grahame at 06:24, 6th July 2024
 
On this day - 6th July (1978)

I have added a mirrored copy of the official report for forum members at
http://www.passenger.chat/mirror/DoT_Taunton1978.pdf

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by broadgage at 18:59, 6th July 2018
 
Very sad, I remember it well, which makes me feel very old.

A contributory cause of the disaster was the use of electric train heat, rather than steam heat.
Had the bags of linen been piled against a steam heater, no fire would have occurred since nothing can get hotter than the steam supply which is typically only slightly above 100 degrees.

If bags of linen are piled against an electric heater, then in the absence of any suitable and functioning safety device, it will het hotter and hotter until a fire is started.

IIRC after the disaster it was revealed that a number of near misses had occurred with bags of used linen arriving at the laundry scorched or partially burnt. Tragically this was only considered as being a loss of the linen, rather than as being a warning of a narrow escape from a fatal fire.

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by bobm at 18:24, 6th July 2018
 
Will also be on the late news tonight from BBC Spotlight in Plymouth.

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by grahame at 13:58, 6th July 2018
 
Today, 6th July 2018, marks the 40th anniversary of the fire on board an overnight sleeper from Cornwall to London. A disaster that claimed 12 lives.

...

BBC Points West lunchtime news has a report on the anniversary. This will likely be on the evening news too.

Thank you for posting to bring this to our attention.

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by JayMac at 13:15, 6th July 2018
 
Today, 6th July 2018, marks the 40th anniversary of the fire on board an overnight sleeper from Cornwall to London. A disaster that claimed 12 lives.

The train was halted just outside Taunton station after the fire took hold in linen that had been stored next to a heater. Smoke and locked doors hampered rescue efforts, many of those who died succumbed to smoke inhalation.

Official report: http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=396

BBC Points West lunchtime news has a report on the anniversary. This will likely be on the evening news too.

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by Karl at 02:05, 11th July 2008
 
Morning

You may be interested in this site for some info
and pics:

http://www.tauntontrains.co.uk/MEMORIES.htm

Scroll down under info regarding D1071.

Regards

Karl.

Re: Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by The SprinterMeister at 20:25, 10th July 2008
 
I can actually say I have had the pleasure of working with both the driver and the guard involved with that sleeper fire. Both good lads, sadly the driver is no longer alive.

Sleeper train fire disaster at Taunton - 6 July 1978 - remembered
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:16, 7th July 2008
 
People in Somerset are commemorating the day, 30 years ago, when 13 passengers were killed in a fire on a sleeper train in Taunton.

The train was travelling from Penzance to Paddington, in London, when it came to a halt at Fairwater Close in Taunton in the early hours of 6 July 1978.

The fire was caused by laundry which was stacked against an electric heater.

Firefighters arrived within four minutes but were slowed down by internal and external locked doors.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7490245.stm

See also http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/6/newsid_2495000/2495703.stm

See also http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2008/07/04/train_fire_anniversary_feature.shtml

 
The Coffee Shop forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western). The views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit https://www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules ( graham AT sn12.net ).

Although we are planning ahead, we don't know what the future will bring here in the Coffee Shop. We have domains "firstgreatwestern.info" for w-a-y back and also "greatwesternrailway.info"; we can also answer to "greatbritishrailways.info" too. For the future, information about Great Brisish Railways, by customers and for customers.
 
Current Running
GWR trains from JourneyCheck
 
Links in development

Member contributions
Recent new POSTS
Recent new THREADS
Popular Threads
Member Polls
Transport Diary
So far this month
Search for

Also on our site
About the forum
Whitelisted (public) documents
On this travel day
2B added - Individual Station Data

User site admin
Tailor your experience

Externnal Links
JourneyCheck
2B added - Live Station updates
2B added - Booking engine links
BBC news feed

Old site pages - active
About the Coffee Shop
Acronymns and Abbreviations

Old site pages - being replaced
BBC News Feed
Recent New Topics
Popular Threads
Members Polls
On this day
Diary
So far this month
Forum Home Page
 
Code Updated 13th September 2024
From https://greatwesternrailway.info/t3153.html - go insecure