Many thanks to Ian Powers for sending in a press cutting dating back to 1960 and featuring a crash at Elm Grove crossing that must have been a major incident.
As you can see from the image above a train crashed into a furniture delivery lorry that had become stuck in the rails at the unmanned crossing at Elm Grove. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the collision despite the train hitting the 5-ton lorry.
The article reports that the lorry was making a delivery to the cottages over the line at Harrington Avenue. As the lorry went across the level crossing at around 5.45pm a front wheel slipped off the sleepers and became stuck. Apparently, Herbert Norris, the driver from Liverpool, only managed to jump clear seconds before the train hit. Mr Norris was with a colleague and his 15 year old son. During the impact the petrol tank on the lorry was damaged and the leaking petrol caused a fire.
Crews working through the night, cleared the line that then reopened for normal service the following morning.
Do you recall this incident? If so, what are you memories of the event?
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