Abermule Rail Disaster

Location: Abermule, Montgomeryshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Wales Project | Wales Topics Teams | Wales Disasters Team

On the 26th January 1921 a rail disaster in Abermule claimed the life of 17 people and injured 36. Two trains collided at a combined speed of 60mph on a stretch of railway that was only designed for one train to travel at a time using an electric tablet system. The investigation revealed a number of poor practices and would hasten the demise of the Cambrian Railway which was absorbed into the Great Western Railway a year later.

100 years on, the disaster remains the worst single track accident in British railway history and would hasten the demise of the Cambrian Railway which was absorbed into the Great Western Railway a year later.

The 17 dead were named as;

• Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, aged 58, of Machynlleth
• Miss Scott Owen, aged 31, of Newtown
• Nurse Margaret Gethin aged 26, of Llandinam
• Mr. George L Shade, aged 43, of Manchester
• Captain Harold O. Owen, of Machynlleth, aged 24
• Brothers Ralph Onslow, aged 17, and Dennis Onslow, aged 16 of Llanidloes
• Victor L. Harper, aged 19, of Newtown
• James Henderson of Machynlleth
• Miss Nesta Pryse Rice, aged 24, of Llandovery
• Mr John Jones, aged 61, of Aberystwyth
• Mrs Ethel Harper, aged 35, of Birmingham
• Mr Alfred Trethewey, of London
• Driver George Jones, aged 61, of Llanidloes
• Guard Edward Shone, aged 69, of Aberystwyth
• Fireman Bert Evans, aged 25, of Llanidloes.
• Mr Lewis Brook, aged 21, of Llanidloes died from his injuries at Montgomery Infirmary

The death of the railway's director, Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, had significant consequences for his second cousin, Winston Churchill, who inherited a share of Antrim Estate and allowed him to purchase Chartwell and pursue his political ambitions which culminated in him leading the country as Prime Minister during World War Two.

Map of the route

On the 100th anniversary of the disaster a plaque was erected to commemerate those who died.

Commemerative plaque

Commemerative plaque at the old Abermule station

See also

• Abermule train collision - Wikipedia
• Abermule train crash - special page on Abermule community website