Cambridgeshire’s Historic Railway Disasters
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Monday 28 September 2026 at 7.30pm
Willingham Social Club, Fen End
£5 on the door — cash or card
From a Victorian blizzard to Britain’s abandoned Hovertrain, the railways of Cambridgeshire have witnessed catastrophe, courage and one particularly spectacular technological dead end.
Join Old Willingham as we uncover seven remarkable railway stories from right on our doorstep:
The Abbots Ripton Blizzard, 1876 — how signals frozen in a snowstorm contributed to a catastrophic double collision and helped transform railway safety.
The March Station Crash, 1896 — the day a Cambridge excursion train collided with carriages detached from a Harwich boat train during shunting.
The Soham Explosion, 1944 — the extraordinary bravery of railwaymen who moved a burning ammunition waggon away from the town before it exploded.
The Conington North Tragedies, 1948 — two fatal accidents at the same level crossing, including one that claimed the life of former Peterborough mayor Arthur Mellows.
The Conington South Derailment, 1967 — the disturbing story of a signalman whose deliberate actions derailed an express travelling at 75 mph.
The Earith Hovertrain, 1973 — Britain’s futuristic attempt to make trains float above their tracks, which reached 104 mph before the money and political support disappeared. Pieces of its concrete test track can still be found in the Fens.
Chivers Crossing, 1976 — a passenger train, a lorry carrying carrots and almost impenetrable Fenland fog: a collision near Shippea Hill that led to important changes in level-crossing protection.
These are not merely stories of things going terribly wrong. They reveal the changing relationship between machinery, signalling, human judgement and remarkable personal courage — and show how yesterday’s disasters helped to create the safer railway we know today.
Monday 28 September 2026 at 7.30 pm
Willingham Social Club
£5 on the door, payable by cash or card, to help cover the cost of the room.
Please click “Going” to help us plan the seating.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Willingham Social Club, Fen End
£5 on the door — cash or card
From a Victorian blizzard to Britain’s abandoned Hovertrain, the railways of Cambridgeshire have witnessed catastrophe, courage and one particularly spectacular technological dead end.
Join Old Willingham as we uncover seven remarkable railway stories from right on our doorstep:
The Abbots Ripton Blizzard, 1876 — how signals frozen in a snowstorm contributed to a catastrophic double collision and helped transform railway safety.
The March Station Crash, 1896 — the day a Cambridge excursion train collided with carriages detached from a Harwich boat train during shunting.
The Soham Explosion, 1944 — the extraordinary bravery of railwaymen who moved a burning ammunition waggon away from the town before it exploded.
The Conington North Tragedies, 1948 — two fatal accidents at the same level crossing, including one that claimed the life of former Peterborough mayor Arthur Mellows.
The Conington South Derailment, 1967 — the disturbing story of a signalman whose deliberate actions derailed an express travelling at 75 mph.
The Earith Hovertrain, 1973 — Britain’s futuristic attempt to make trains float above their tracks, which reached 104 mph before the money and political support disappeared. Pieces of its concrete test track can still be found in the Fens.
Chivers Crossing, 1976 — a passenger train, a lorry carrying carrots and almost impenetrable Fenland fog: a collision near Shippea Hill that led to important changes in level-crossing protection.
These are not merely stories of things going terribly wrong. They reveal the changing relationship between machinery, signalling, human judgement and remarkable personal courage — and show how yesterday’s disasters helped to create the safer railway we know today.
Monday 28 September 2026 at 7.30 pm
Willingham Social Club
£5 on the door, payable by cash or card, to help cover the cost of the room.
Please click “Going” to help us plan the seating.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Where is it happening?
Willingham Social Club, 20 Fen End, Cambridge, CB24 5, United Kingdom
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherOld Willingham
