On Dec. 12, 1988, Clapham Junction was the scene of a railway accident involving two collisions between three commuter trains. Thirty-five people died and more than 100 were injured.
"The first call about the incident was received at 0813 with crews from Clapham, Battersea, Tooting, Norbury, Fulham, and Euston fire stations attending the disaster," according to the London Fire Brigade website. "First reports were of two trains, but it became clear there were actually three."
''It is sheer, bloody hell,'' said James McMillan, an assistant chief fire officer quoted by The New York Times. The second train ''seemed to dive under the rear of the first, come out on its right-hand side and then go into the empty train,'' he said.
Passenger Chris Reeves, who was seated in a buffet car on one of the trains, said "the roof split open like a ripe tomato, and that's how we got out.''
An inquiry determined faulty repairs to a rail signal led to the pile-up - "`wiring errors' made by a rail worker who had had one day off in 13 weeks," the BBC said.
A union official complained about the condition "pre-war" signal equipment, in the aftermath of the crash, saying "A lot of the equipment is held together by chewing gum and wire," according to United Press International.
Clapham Junction is considered one of Europe's busiest rail junctions.
