At 8:19 a.m. on Oct. 8, 1952, disaster struck at the Harrow and Wealdstone rail station in northwest London.
An express train crashed into the rear of a local making a scheduled stop. Seconds later, a third train traveling in the opposite direction plowed into the wreckage. In all, 122 people died.
Rescuers used acetylene torches to reach people entwined in the wreckage.
The Ministry of Transport concluded the express train passed a caution and two danger signals heading into the station.
"Some of the victims were on the platform as carriages full of commuters were hurled onto them," the BBC reported that day. "Others were killed on a footbridge over the track that was punctured by a pile of coaches."
The Ministry of Transport concluded the express train passed a caution and two danger signals heading into the station.
"Some of the victims were on the platform as carriages full of commuters were hurled onto them," the BBC reported that day. "Others were killed on a footbridge over the track that was punctured by a pile of coaches."
