On 26 December 1962, two trains collided near Coppenhall Junction, United Kingdom, killing 18 people and injuring 34.

On that evening, cold weather and snow in and around Crewe had caused points to become frozen and trains were being detained at signals.

About midway between Winsford and Crewe, the 13:30 Glasgow Central to London Euston Mid-Day Scot, hauled by an English Electric type 4 diesel, D215, with 13 coaches and 500 passengers, was stopped at a signal but the driver found the telephone to Coppenhall Junction, the next signal box ahead, out of order.

[1] The 4:45 PM Birmingham train consisted of an electric locomotive[a] hauling eight Mark 1 coaches.

The area was overseen by Coppenhall Junction Signal Box, staffed by Signalman Sutton at the time of the collision.

114, and the driver made contact via signal post telephone with Signalman Sutton, who required him to wait until a favourable aspect.

The fireman eventually contacted Signalman Sutton via down slow line's telephone, and was again instructed to wait for a favourable aspect.

Driver Russell recalled a supplemental instruction on electrified lines that required them to make contact with the signalman.

Signalman Sutton failed, for reasons never fully explained, to understand the seriousness and severity of the accident.

At 6:19 PM Porter Leigh at Winsford Station called Coppenhall Junction signal box about the overdue local train.

[1][3] The official Ministry of Transport investigation in to the accident was led by colonel D. McMullen, who submitted his report in June 1963.

Rule 55 contained two sets of language that the investigation identified as leaving the door open to this accident occurring.

[1] The report was troubled by the length of time between the initial report of the accident at 6:05 PM and the first call to emergency services at 6:34 PM, which failed to convey the severity of the incident, followed by a subsequent call at 6:45 to clarify the location of the accident.

Fire service and ambulance that had arrived on the scene around 7:00 PM had been made aware of the location by telephone call placed by ticket collector at a local farm.

[1] The report considered but ultimately did recommended against the inclusion of powerful headlamps on locomotives to illuminate obstructions.

This was not recommended due to issues lights blinding drivers of passing trains, and excessive curves on the railway network reducing the effectiveness of headlamps.