Knowle and Dorridge rail crash

The express was travelling at its usual speed of around 80 mph (130 km/h) approaching the station when the driver noticed the Knowle and Dorridge distant signal at caution.

He applied the brakes but was only able to reduce speed to 20 mph (32 km/h), before colliding with the freight train which was stationary on the same line, having stopped when the signalman showed the driver a red flag.

[1] All four men on the freight train, the driver, fireman, shunter and guard, managed to jump clear before the collision.

[1] As a contributory factor to the crash, it was found that the signalman, in clearing the express, had disregarded a standing order known as Regulation 4A, governing the safe operation of signals in sections of track where the minimum stopping distance for trains was greater than the distance between signals.

This may have been academic if the express had been cleared before the freight train was permitted to foul the up main line, even if Regulation 4A had been obeyed.