UK: Soham Station explosion
Posted: 22 Dec 2011, 14:32
A fairly mundane story about Soham Station caught my eye and reminded me of the famous incident when "it was levelled in a wartime train explosion". The bravery of the crew prevented a much greater disaster, and the driver and fireman were each awarded the George Cross.
Below are the "mundane" story, and a short extract from Wikipedia plus a couple of other links about the wartime incident.
http://www.soham.org.uk/history/trainexplosion.htm
Below are the "mundane" story, and a short extract from Wikipedia plus a couple of other links about the wartime incident.
Freight link plans boost hopes for new station
Published: 22/12/2011 09:06 - Updated: 22/12/2011 09:10
Ely Weekly News
Soham railway station could be one step closer to being reopened – almost 70 years after it was levelled in a wartime train explosion.
County and district councillors say the prospect of rebuilding the town’s railway station is even greater now that the Department of Transport has confirmed funding for the doubling of the tracks between Ely and Soham.
The scheme, part of a £55 million project to improve freight transport, would create the possibility of a double platform station at Soham.
Cllr James Palmer, deputy leader at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "It has long been an aspiration of everyone connected with Soham to restore the railway station.
"With the recent funding and positive feedback from the Government, we are edging closer to this goal but there is still work to be done.
"We must put together a business case to show how any service stopping in Soham would be used."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stor ... 9987.shtmlWikipedia wrote:The Soham rail disaster occurred on 2 June 1944, during the Second World War, when a fire developed on the leading wagon of a heavy ammunition train. The wagon contained a quantity of high explosive bombs. The train crew had detached the wagon from the rest of the train and were drawing it away when the cargo exploded. The fireman of the train and the signalman at Soham signalbox were killed and several other people injured. The driver, Benjamin Gimbert, and fireman, James Nightall, were both awarded the George Cross for preventing further damage which would have occurred if the rest of the train had exploded.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soham_rail_disaster
http://www.soham.org.uk/history/trainexplosion.htm