How snow caused a fatal train crash - Abbots Ripton Accident 

All true. And the signal arm went into a slot in the signal pole at off. So the arms froze inside the slot. Another outcome was the beautiful but complex somersault signal invented by Mr French and used by GNR to overcome this risk. The signal arm was perfectly counterbalanced and the spectacle was separate. Victorian Railways were keen on somersaults too. This accident led to the end of white as clear and green became standard

I was about to message that

I'm sending you to Crewe a fine place for sick engines

@@elshowdehugo2926 A video on Crewe scrapyard would be a idea for a vid.

"The signal was down, sir."

“Hurrah! Cried Henry that will be lovely”

It’s no wonder why After all the engine was named after the service

@@florjanbrudar692 not really,it's that people remember more of the locomotive then the train it was named after

@@davidantoniocamposbarros7528 I knew I would be wrong

@@davidantoniocamposbarros7528 Pretty much. For the longest time i thought "The Flying Scotsman" was just the name of that two-tendered green engine that looks like Gordon. It wasn't until a few years ago that i learned The Flying Scotsman was the name of the SERVICE before the engine was named AFTER the service. It's like if Gordon (Yes i grew up with Thomas, it's why i like trains) was named The Express, or Wild Nor Wester if you actually pay attention to the lore book side material.

Though quite often 4472 pulled it, many more a1/3s pulled it, and many years before the a1s and after the a1s it still ran, flying Scotsman isn’t the only engine to carry it

I have to admit that both the book and film play down the human cost of the Flying Kipper smash. The book illustration even shows the brake van still being intact! Ringo Star says the driver and fireman 'got out just in time' but never mentions the guard, who would have stayed in the van (ASLEF vs NUR rulings) at his post, which you then see smashed to pieces.

Beats what Awdry originally intended for Henry: him being sick in earlier stories was meant to be an excuse to kill him off without showing it. Fortunately, children wrote to ask what had happened because they were worried about Henry. Not having the heart to tell her, he wrote a new book where he had a wreck that required a rebuild, instead.

I kind of want to look for that episode on YT and watch it, now. Never mind the fact that I am an adult!

@@jed-henrywitkowski6470 The show was originally made to be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in trains.

The Flying Kipper incident was less severe than the Abbots Ripton accident, less damage, only two trains involved (not a third plowing into the wreckage), freight trains rather than passenger so fewer people in danger, lower speeds, and as a result of all this no deaths or serious injuries. I could easily imagine numerous such incidents happened, all under similar circumstances to the Abbots Ripton disaster, but with circumstances and outcomes more like the Flying Kipper, so they aren't nearly as notable. Often times such incidents are generally overlooked, by historians looking back on it (as we are here, if you could call us that - the video presenter at least probably qualifies), as well as by people at the time. Many major disasters had more minor incidents, close calls, things that didn't hurt anyone or cause major damage, that people didn't think much of, but the same situation later allowed for a far more deadly disaster. Not until after the major disaster are rules changed, had they been changed after the minor incidents or close calls the big disaster could have been prevented. This is why close calls or minor incidents shouldn't be ignored just because nobody got hurt. They need to be analyzed to consider what the same hazard could have led to under different circumstances, the potential for a much more deadly outcome that effort needs to be taken to prevent. Close calls and minor incidents are a warning of what could happen.

Awdry wrote his story based on real life railway incidents, so that explains things.

The moment TOT mentioned Home Signals while talking about a snow accident; i knew it would be what inspired Henry's The Flying Kipper accident.

@@InfinityR319 My nephew is into Thomas the Train. And that makes me happy.

@@jed-henrywitkowski6470 Consider buying him “the complete collection” by Awdry, you’ll find it has a much more informative tone than the show!

@@InfinityR319 i thought the Kipper accident was to have Henry drawn as a Black 5 instead of random drawings

And corpses. That's what it took to force railway companies to spend money on safety. Where the introduction of continuous braking is concerned there was also a dreadful accident in Ireland As for the Rev Wilbert Awdry stories: Henry's crash when hauling the Flying Kipper triggers a strange metamorphosis from looking like a LNER engine to assuming an LMS appearance.

Now that you mention it, I can imagine Fascinating Horror covering this incident.

I'm not from them parts but still noticed the mispronunciation !

Actually the crash that inspired the Flying Kipper was the crash that occurred at Lichfield station on 1st January 1946

I was starting to think this as I was watching

I knew it, it sounded so firmler

@@Jaidencharlotte actually I think both were inspirations for the flying kipper when you look up both accidents.

Pretty sure this is the story that inspired it.

The Full History of James is watching me as i watch this...

@@christophergarland7936 oh more than likely

Oh, I know why

@@christophergarland7936 true

they don't know where it is

@@flyer3849 they do, but the engine is buried under tons of gravel

Visiting a family-friend with my dad when suddenly he cracked a joke. "One year the Rhein was so dry, the only boats moving on the river were the paddle-steamers - as they were the only boats with wheels."

Check out Jago Hazzard's latest video on "Sans Pareil"

I would assume in reality a signal in an unusual position, not a standard position to indicate danger or clear, would indicate a malfunction. Should be treated as a danger signal but clarification sought rather than just waiting for a clear signal. A signal designed to fail into an unusual "signal failed" position would be better even than one that fails to danger. This is sort of the natural effect of modern signals that use lights instead of semaphores, if no lights are on the driver knows it's a malfunction rather than false indication of any sort.

I believe some semaphore signal arms go up because of incidents like this. That way, gravity forces it into the "danger" position.

Thomas doesn't dislike the snow, he hates his snowplough that's all.

Henry's is more relatable - he crashed in the "Flying Kipper" incident due to quite similar circumstances.

I was gonna say something like this. You beat me!

@@RedJubilee They say great minds think alike. That's something I've noticed about the comments section, you have to be quick.

I actually question that a little bit. I believe the Flying Kipper involved not only a signal indication effected by snow, but also frozen points, which this didn't involve. I'm guessing there were numerous incidents like this, though most were relatively minor consequences than this major disaster and thus forgotten.

@@quillmaurer6563 yeah there was another incident I think but this is the main one that inspired it

@@CurdsFromDaCulvers420 Casey Jones?

@@NightGaming_58 maybe I’m not totally sure but from what I’ve heard this story is the one that inspired the flying kipper

It is but the only difference between the two is the engineer of abbots accident survived but Casey didn't otherwise both great story's

yes it is

Weather continues to be a problem for people no matter what they're doing. It's likewise probably the biggest cause of aircraft accidents, both for small planes and commercial airliners. Trains I would think are among the least weather-susceptible modes of transport, as well as being among the safest in all other regards. But even trains aren't immune, as this video discusses. In Denver, I think the light rail and commuter rail are probably one of the most reliable modes of transport in extreme weather, run frequently enough to keep the tracks clear and are less susceptible to getting stuck or slick conditions. However they too have a major vulnerability, their overhead wires can be unusable or even be damaged (or become damaged if it is attempted to use them) if they become covered in ice or in very high winds. Had some extreme winds like that a few days ago, they had to delay or suspend light rail service for that reason, using shuttle buses instead, which is a little scary as buses are big easily-toppled boxes. And of course all modes of transport are hindered by low-visibility conditions that make it difficult to see.

I love how you Euros are big on maintaining your historical infrastructure and architecture.

Though many LQ signals were still balanced in such a way that they would default to the danger position, as the spectacle plate, which is on the other side of the pivot, is much heavier than the arm.

@@RJSRdg That is true, as far as it goes. But when a LQ signal is in the safe position, its arm is on one side of the pivot, and the spectacle plate is on the other side of the pivot; whereas when a UQ signal is in the safe position essentially everything, arm and spectacle plate, is on one side of the pivot (the arm side, pushing towards danger). And in icy conditions, snow and ice sticking to the arm will exert more leverage, being further out from the pivot, thereby pushing towards the safe position for LQ but towards the danger position for UQ.

@@RJSRdg I was just thinking of that as a possible solution, counterweights of some sort so they will fail to the danger position. An advantage of that is that they could retrofit this safer design into existing signals and not have to change the signal conventions drivers are used to. But as kleedham points out, the longer and larger (even if not as heavy) plate will accumulate more snow than the smaller shorter counterweight, so snow could cause it to fail into the "clear" position. Perhaps a solution would be a counterbalance designed to accumulate snow on the far side as well, perhaps a similar (or identical) arm on the opposite side that is painted gray, has no influence on the signal except as a counterbalance. Or a lattice frame of some sort that is deliberately designed to accumulate more snow and ice than the arm it balances, so if that becomes a problem it will fail to a danger signal. Another possibility would be to have a second set of linkages and cables that return from the signal itself to the signal box that indicates the actual position regardless of what position the handle is in, but that would be more complicated, all for something usually visible to the signalman. A simpler way of accomplishing the same thing, probably possible by this time, would be to have electrical switches connected to the arm itself that connect to indicator lights in the signal box. A lot of other devices have similar indicator lights to indicate if something is in the proper position, for example aircraft landing gear to show that it is down and locks engaged, even if they are controlled by mechanical levers. Of course changing the signals to have up as clear and down as danger would be even more effective, but that would require a lot of re-training and involve a confusing transition era, so there are incentives to design something that looks the same. Eventually everything would change to lights instead of semaphores, which are a lot more fail safe in that when they fail they show no light rather than any erroneous indication, which I assume crews would regard as being at danger until communicating via radio that they are clear to proceed.

The problem is, the signals have a 'bi-stable' weight lower down the pole - designed to keep the signal at the fully travelled position whether up or down !

This is an advantage of light-based signals rather than semaphores. A light will fail to show no light of any color, which drivers know is a problem and treat as a signal as danger (I assume anyway), rather than any sort of false indication.

*kipper not killed

It is! Awdry poured tons of real life inspiration in the railway series books. Just goes to show the man's enthusiasm for locomotives and railways

@@RyebuckCoppercap For me to actually here for the first time what must of inspired that infamous wreck is pretty cool.

@@PennsyPappas Yeah! It's pretty cool :3 From what I recall many other incidents in Thomas and Friends earlier seasons are based on real events! The down the mine incident is one that I recall had a real life counterpart as well, as most of the skarloey railway events! It's a big rabbit hole if you want to go deeper ;)

@@RyebuckCoppercap oh trust me I'm aware of how many incidents are based on real events as well as his own personal experiences on the Tallyclyn Railway (forgive if spelled wrong)

Is there a "flying scotsman" service in the US ?

Probably some combination of horrified and rather pissed off at the other signalman for not sending the messages correctly.

The message was sent to the wrong place. Read the Signalman books by Adrian Vaughan. When Adrian became a signalman 80 years later he was told very severely, "If the line is blocked you tell the adjacent signal boxes first." Rather than using a telephone and chatting, they would immediately hammer out "Obstruction Danger" (6 bells) and all the signals would go to danger. Then the adjacent signal boxes would send a "Blocking Back" (3-3 bells) code to the next box. Then and only then should the signalman consider using the telephone.

Stirling singles were top link express locomotives - single driver engines were believed to run much more freely than coupled driving wheel locos in the 19th century. There was some justification for this; engineering wasn't always as precise as in later days so that rods and axle centres were often slightly out of alignment with one another. You get a hint of this in 'La Bete Humaine'; Lison, the locomotive is never as free running after the big smash as earlier in the novel.

Bro, thats "the sad story of henry" not "The flying kipper"

The down Leeds express was pulled by a Stirling 8-foot Single (GNR No.48) - this was the engine involved in the second collision. The Scotch Express, in the first collision with the coal train, was being worked by GNR No. 269. This was an engine originally designed by Sturrock as a 2-4-0 with 6ft driving wheels but which Patrick Stirling had rebuilt the year before the crash into a 2-2-2. So sort of a 'Stirling single' but not the famous 8ft 4-2-2 class.

I think in the USA 🇺🇸 the term “smokestack” is widely used. Some designs were “straight” & some were “funnel” shaped

Fascinating Horror released a really good video on the Tangiwai disaster a few days ago as well.

Plainly Difficult did it 3 months after your comment