Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Bankers Draft in Eltham wanted to be called The Frankie Howerd, some legality stopped it, still loads of pics in there though.
Yep. They had it all decked out ready to go and then at the last minute the people looking after his estate changed their minds - no idea why, so they had to come up with another name. But they left the pictures inside.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
My dad was on the train that crashed. Don't think he went to the variety show though.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Lewisham/St Johns (57), Hither Green/Grove Park (67) and Eltham/Well Hall(72).
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Lewisham/St Johns (57), Hither Green/Grove Park (67) and Eltham/Well Hall(72).
Thanks, not sure where that family story came from then. A long time ago but the dates don't match up with me, born early 62. Unfortunately there is nobody left to ask.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Lewisham/St Johns (57), Hither Green/Grove Park (67) and Eltham/Well Hall(72).
57 One train run into the back of a stationary train under the bridge outside St Johns in thick fog. 67 broken fish plate between Grove Park and Hither Green (I believe one of the Bee Gees was involved in this) and 72 driver had consumed a fair amount of Sherry before driving the train back from Margate and left the track on the bend out side what was then Eltham Well Hall and ended up in the coal yard.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
The 57 one, my Dad missed that train coming home on leave from National Service. Could of been no Soapy!
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Lewisham/St Johns (57), Hither Green/Grove Park (67) and Eltham/Well Hall(72).
57 One train run into the back of a stationary train under the bridge outside St Johns in thick fog. 67 broken fish plate between Grove Park and Hither Green (I believe one of the Bee Gees was involved in this) and 72 driver had consumed a fair amount of Sherry before driving the train back from Margate and left the track on the bend out side what was then Eltham Well Hall and ended up in the coal yard.
Little known fact - actor Phil Daniels - Jimmy in one of the best films - Quadrophenia - was on the train in the Eltham Well Hall accident
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
The 57 one, my Dad missed that train coming home on leave from National Service. Could of been no Soapy!
Your Dad did National Service at same time as my Dad
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Lewisham/St Johns (57), Hither Green/Grove Park (67) and Eltham/Well Hall(72).
57 One train run into the back of a stationary train under the bridge outside St Johns in thick fog. 67 broken fish plate between Grove Park and Hither Green (I believe one of the Bee Gees was involved in this) and 72 driver had consumed a fair amount of Sherry before driving the train back from Margate and left the track on the bend out side what was then Eltham Well Hall and ended up in the coal yard.
Little known fact - actor Phil Daniels - Jimmy in one of the best films - Quadrophenia - was on the train in the Eltham Well Hall accident
I was in the old Well Hall station bus terminus when the train left the bend in 72. I and my mate were one of the first on the scene...it was horrendous and caused me mental health issues for a few years afterwards. I couldn't get on a train without feeling claustrophobic. I ended up having to have counselling. I still remember it to this day. 😒
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Lewisham/St Johns (57), Hither Green/Grove Park (67) and Eltham/Well Hall(72).
57 One train run into the back of a stationary train under the bridge outside St Johns in thick fog. 67 broken fish plate between Grove Park and Hither Green (I believe one of the Bee Gees was involved in this) and 72 driver had consumed a fair amount of Sherry before driving the train back from Margate and left the track on the bend out side what was then Eltham Well Hall and ended up in the coal yard.
The Hither Green crash was an Express Train from Hastings if I’m not mistaken….some of the carriages came down the steep embankment alongside the railway bridge in St Mildred’s Road……(which is a section of road on the South Circular), the embankment was wet and soon became very muddy and slippery making rescue and removal of the victims quite a bit more tricky than it might otherwise have been. Cold and damp drizzley Sunday evening…..I lived about 500 yards away and was at the scene about half an hour or so after it happened. Nothing much I could do to help sadly, the emergency services were already there and had things well under control.
I do remember helping giving out trays of tea from the Red Cross tea vans to all and sundry……I think I stayed until about midnight. I can remember the whole scene being lit up with flashing blue lights, as the roads and pavements were wet the lights also bounced off them and made them extra bright. The traffic lights silently turning red, amber and green….the dead being laid out under the bridge. Quite a surreal event for an impressionable 19 year old. Went home to bed and took ages to get off to sleep, such was my adrenaline rush still being high, I was also chilled to the bone. RIP……all those who perished.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
Also red…..the Hither Green derailment was a train going north into London, so impossible that your parents would have been traveling on that train, being they were at London Bridge wanting to travel south. One of the two trains involved at St John’s was due to stop at Hither Green and often my Dad would catch it…..however he too missed it. He walked home from London Bridge to Catford (the buses were jam packed and barely moving because of the very thick fog). I remember being in bed (I was only nine), when Mum came up to tell me he was home…..we were of course very worried as he got home very late, we didn’t have a phone so no way he could make contact.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
The 57 one, my Dad missed that train coming home on leave from National Service. Could of been no Soapy!
Your Dad did National Service at same time as my Dad
My brother did his National Service around that time too. He went to Malaya as it was then and was in the Intelligence Corps.
Does anyone remember the Lewisham train crash in the 1950s. They had a midnight variety show to raise money for the bereaved and Frankie Howard was the star turn. It should have been Winifred Atwell but she didn’t turn up. Ian Carmichael was also on the bill, but Frankie was the best by far.
Was this the Hither Green crash? My mum and dad decided to not get on the packed train from London Bridge, I think she was pregnant with me and needed a seat. Would have been early 60's. Or did they have 2 train accidents? 50 & 60's?
The 57 one, my Dad missed that train coming home on leave from National Service. Could of been no Soapy!
Your Dad did National Service at same time as my Dad
Comments
"Cross you say? I was livid!"
with Frankie.
along the Rochester road in Well Hall ?
Don't think he went to the variety show though.
Next to St Barnabas' Church near Well Hall Roundabout. I believe he opened it.
when living near by
Thanks, not sure where that family story came from then. A long time ago but the dates don't match up with me, born early 62. Unfortunately there is nobody left to ask.
57 One train run into the back of a stationary train under the bridge outside St Johns in thick fog. 67 broken fish plate between Grove Park and Hither Green (I believe one of the Bee Gees was involved in this) and 72 driver had consumed a fair amount of Sherry before driving the train back from Margate and left the track on the bend out side what was then Eltham Well Hall and ended up in the coal yard.
Cold and damp drizzley Sunday evening…..I lived about 500 yards away and was at the scene about half an hour or so after it happened. Nothing much I could do to help sadly, the emergency services were already there and had things well under control.
I can remember the whole scene being lit up with flashing blue lights, as the roads and pavements were wet the lights also bounced off them and made them extra bright.
The traffic lights silently turning red, amber and green….the dead being laid out under the bridge.
Quite a surreal event for an impressionable 19 year old.
Went home to bed and took ages to get off to sleep, such was my adrenaline rush still being high, I was also chilled to the bone.
RIP……all those who perished.
One of the two trains involved at St John’s was due to stop at Hither Green and often my Dad would catch it…..however he too missed it.
He walked home from London Bridge to Catford (the buses were jam packed and barely moving because of the very thick fog). I remember being in bed (I was only nine), when Mum came up to tell me he was home…..we were of course very worried as he got home very late, we didn’t have a phone so no way he could make contact.