1940 Norton Fitzwarren rail crash

The Norton Fitzwarren rail crash occurred on 4 November 1940 between Taunton and Norton Fitzwarren in the English county of Somerset, when the driver of a train misunderstood the signalling and track layout, causing him to drive the train through a set of points and off the rails at approximately 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).

[2] Further bombing on the night of the accident and other disruptions had made the train an hour late by the time it reached Taunton.

The derailing "King" locomotive had nosed down off the end of the overrun siding and then swung across the main tracks, what must have been feet behind the overtaking train.

The driver was on the opposite side of the locomotive to the signal, and the fireman, who performed a second check at departure, reported as usual "it's clear".

Because of the slow speed of departure, in blackout conditions, the driver never noticed they were now continuing on the Down Relief line and not taking the crossover to the Down Main.

The extra space between the Fast lines was a holdover from the wide track centres of Brunel's broad gauge.

He suggested that operating under conditions of blackout and the general strain of the war, including Stacey's own house being bombed the previous night, may have been a factor in this lapse.