A Study in Tragedy: the human cost of the 1957 St Johns Rail Disaster, a talk by author Dr Tony Redding
9 June @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
£3
On Wednesday December 4 1957 London and much of the South East was blanketed in a “pea-souper” smog. Driver Trew, at the controls of the Battle of Britain class locomotive “Spitfire”, ploughed into the back of a stationary electric train halted at St John’s station. The results were catastrophic. The impact collapsed the rail flyover, bringing down hundreds of tonnes of steelwork and crushing the wrecked carriages of the Ramsgate express.
Historian and author Dr Tony Redding is nearing the completion of “A study in tragedy”, a book which documents the horror of that night and its long term effects on victims and their families.
Tony’s talk will focus the human consequences. He will also remember his Father, Jack Redding, who was amongst the rescuers that night. Jack was a British Railways welder. He used cutting gear to free the injured and recover bodies in the wreckage under the collapsed bridge.
All proceeds to go to the St John’s Memorial Plaque Fund.
Tickets £3, available here – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-study-in-tragedy-the-human-cost-of-the-1957-st-johns-rail-disaster-tickets-1361403868619?aff=oddtdtcreator