Winsum train collision

The Winsum train disaster took place on 25 July 1980 near Winsum in the Dutch province of Groningen. 9 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
Date25 July 1980
LocationWinsum, Groningen
Coordinates53°19′4″N 6°31′41″E
CountryNetherlands
LineSauwerd–Roodeschool railway
OperatorNederlandse Spoorwegen
Incident typeHead-on-collision
Statistics
Trains2
Deaths9
Injured21

The accident took place on a single track between Sauwerd and Roodeschool which 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 the driver of commuter train 8726 departed 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 collide 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


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