Witness Account of The Armagh Rail Disaster, 1889

Back
Witness Account of The Armagh Rail Disaster, 1889

Sorry, this film is not available for viewing in your region

Unfortunately, due to copyright permissions we are unable to show this video in your area.

Details

Location

Armagh

Year

1964

Date

Production 19/06/1964

Length

08min 43sec

Audio

sound

Format

16mm

black and white

Source

Funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland under the Archiving Scheme 2

Courtesy

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Department for Communities, ITV, UTV Archive

Rights Holder

ITV

It is illegal to download, copy, print or otherwise utilise in any other form this material, without written consent from the copyright holder.

Description

An interview with Mr Bertie Rea, a survivor of the Armagh Rail Disaster in which 81 people died. He talks of the aftermath of the accident and how he tried to help. His account is harrowing and dramatic.

Notes

The Armagh rail disaster happened on 12 June 1889 near Armagh when a crowded Sunday school excursion train going to Warrenpoint had to negotiate a steep incline; the steam locomotive was unable to complete the climb and the train stalled. The train crew decided to divide the train and take forward the front portion, leaving the rear portion on the running line. The rear portion was inadequately braked and ran back down the gradient, colliding with a following train. 

Eighty-one people were killed and 260 injured about a third of them children. It was the worst rail disaster in the UK in the nineteenth century and remains Ireland's worst railway disaster ever. To this day, it is the fourth worst railway accident in the United Kingdom. 

Credits

An Ulster Television Production.

Links

×

Please scroll to review and accept our terms and conditions (last updated on ) before viewing the moving images content.

To remember your terms and conditions acceptance, you can register as a site member or allow cookies on your browser.