Commemorating 120th Anniversary of Blundellsands Rail Crash

SEFTON Council's Library Service has been helping people remember 1 of the country’s worst rail crashes took on:- Thursday, 27 July 1905, near Blundellsands, towards Hall Road Station.

On that day, 120 years ago, the 16:30 express train, running from:- Liverpool to Southport, was approaching:- Blundellsands’ Hall Road Station, when it collided with an empty stationary train parked on a siding.

According to the official report, the points failed to close properly, leading the express to collide with an empty local train that had been shunted into a siding to allow the express to pass.

20 people in the 1st coach of the express were killed, and a further 47 passengers were injured. Both drivers survived, having jumped clear before the impact. Another passenger:- Henry Potter, was severely injured in the crash and died three months later, bringing the total killed to 21.

A ceremony was held on the Liverpool-bound Merseyrail Station platform, on:- Sunday, 27 July 2025, at:- 1pm, the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mr. Mark Blundell, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the 120th Anniversary of the accident.

Invited guests included:- Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson, Cllr June Burns, Mayor of Sefton, Council Leader Marion Atkinson, Bernard Nevins of the Crosby and District Historical Society, and local historian Peter McGoldrick. They will be welcomed by Merseyrail's Laura Turnbull and Station Manager Paul Draper.

Blundellsands Ward Councillor and Sefton Council cabinet member Diane Roscoe said:- "Although now forgotten by many, this was a terrible accident 120 years ago and I am pleased the Council has been able to work with local historians and Merseyrail to put this permanent memorial in place to remember those so sadly killed on that fateful day."

The Hall Road Rail Disaster was the 2nd train crash in the area to occur within the space of 2 years. In 1903, a train crashed at:- Waterloo Station, killing 8 passengers.

Sadly, that's not the end of the drama at Hall Road as yet another train crash occurred at:- Hall Road Station, on:- Monday, 9 October 1961. The 3rd crash was in very similar circumstances to the others. Fortunately, this crash resulted in no one being killed, although 40+ people were injured.

See our photos from the event on:- https://www.southportreporter.com/-so...