Winsum train collision

The Winsum train disaster took place on 25 July 1980 near Winsum in the Dutch province of Groningen. Nine people died and 21 were injured.^[1]

Winsum train disaster
Commemorative gate near the site of the disaster, a day after the remembrance ceremony in 2005
Details
Date	25 July 1980
Location	Winsum, Groningen
Coordinates	53°19′4″N 6°31′41″E
Country	Netherlands
Line	Sauwerd–Roodeschool railway
Operator	Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Incident type	Head-on-collision
Statistics
Trains	2
Deaths	9
Injured	21

The collision took place on a single track between Sauwerd and Roodeschool that did not have ATB or signals, instead the drivers were informed by radio where other trains on the tracks were, which was a less reliable system that relied on trust.

In the foggy early morning of 25 July 1980 the driver of commuter train 8726 began to move the train from Winsum railway station. Because of the fog he could not see the other train (8713) coming from Sauwerd, which the traffic controllers had warned him about and they told him to wait departing from Winsum until it had passed. Both trains collided head on.^[2]

The true cause of the disaster never became clear.^[3]

References

1. (in Dutch) Onderzoek treinramp met negen doden over enkele weken afgerond, Leeuwarder Courant, 26 July 1980
2. (in Dutch) Ravage verstoort beeld van het vriendelijke boemeltje, Leeuwarder Courant, 26 July 1980
3. (in Dutch) Winsum herdenkt na 25 jaar eindelijk treinramp, Leeuwarder Courant, 25 July 2005

53°19′3.9″N 6°31′41.66″E