Little Salkeld rail accident

The Little Salkeld rail accident occurred on 19 January 1918 in Long Meg cutting, between Little Salkeld and Lazonby railway stations (about 15 miles south of Carlisle on the Settle-Carlisle Line).^[1][2]

Little Salkeld rail accident
Details
Date	19 January 1918 15:58
Location	Long Meg cutting near Little Salkeld
Coordinates	54.724°N 2.6798°W / 54.724; -2.6798
Country	England
Line	Settle-Carlisle Line
Operator	Midland Railway
Cause	Line obstructed (landslip)
Statistics
Trains	1
Deaths	7
Injured	46
List of UK rail accidents by year

As the 11 carriage 08:50 London St Pancras to Glasgow St Enoch express approached the cutting, a heavy landslip caused by a sudden thaw blocked both tracks ahead of the train.^[3] Just five minutes earlier a platelayer had walked past the spot and seen nothing amiss. The engine, a Midland Railway 1000 Class No. 1010, ploughed into the mass of clay at a speed of 50–60 mph, telescoping the front two carriages.^[1][4][5]

6 passengers were killed immediately and another fatally injured, whilst 37 passengers and 9 railway staff received non-fatal injuries. The more seriously injured were taken either to the Cumberland Infirmary or Fusehill Military Hospital, both in Carlisle.^[5][6][7]