APT derailment
18 th April 1980

On Friday 18 April 1980 the APT P-Train 370001+370005, had an axle come apart while travelling at 125 mph.

The train was conveying a party of VIP`s on a run from Glasgow to Carnforth along with David Boocock, the Chief APT Design Engineer.

David Boocock, realised there was a problem when he heard ballast being blasted against the floor of the coach. He pulled the communication cord and stopped the train, but not before it had traversed a reverse curve at maximum cant deficiency with the axle in two halves.The train came to a stand, near Yealand, (SD516763) just to the north of Carnforth. There were no injuries, and damage to the track and train were minimal.

One of the trailer car axles had been mis-assembled, and the ring of bolts that held the two halves of the hydrokinetic braked axle had come apart, derailing itself.
Temporary repairs were undertaken, and then the train was moved to the Carnforth "Up" loop, where it remained for most of the 19th April, whilst further repairs were made.The train was still at Carnforth at 18:20.

All three P-Trains were temporarily withdrawn while every axle was checked.

Thanks to:-

John Lancaster, Ron Herbert, David H,

Kit Spackman, Andy, Paul Leadley (APT-E Conservation & Support Group)

Rob Latham, APT-P Support Team, The Railway Age, Vernon Way, Crewe, CW1 2DB

For their help in researching this information.

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