Railway accidents on British Railways

Southern Region 

Central Division

Merstham Tunnel 29th January 1989 

Involving Victoria Driver P. Rood & Driver St leonards? D. Davis  

SUB PAGE POSTED

Purley 4th March 1989 

Involving Littlehampton Driver Bob Morgan 

SEE SUB PAGE POSTED 

MINUTES OF SPECIAL BRANCH MEETING

HELD ON SUNDAY MARCH 5th 1989 

Branch Chairman opened the meeting by introducing the two speakers, Bro A. Stanton, 

District Organiser, and Bro. J. Davis, E.C. Member of A.S.L.E. &F.

Bro. A. Stanton was given the floor as owing to the weekend rail accident at Purley he need 

to get away to oversee events. He began by explaining the purpose of the meeting, having 

been called and the two issues being discussed, the machinery of negotiation and the labour 

supply South East Area. He gave a breakdown of the present machinery system and then on 

the proposed new system, and went on to the fact that B.R. Board was about to be broken up 

into new sections also the ending of L.D.C.s and Sectional Council’s as we know them and 

ending up with possibility of only one area representative. One example of the new 

machinery, was that if failing to reach an agreement, management would implement their 

decision after 14 days, he went on to explain the importance of L.D.C.s and Sectional 

Councils, and that some senior management have said there was a need for L.D.C.s but still 

they are going ahead with their plans, he continued by asking members to talk to others 

and that we were never so strong as we are today, a call for one week rest day and overtime 

ban area by area, but within national and local rostering agreements. This campaign is a 

national federation campaign and meetings were taking place up and down the country to 

advise members of the situation. Thanking us for our time, he allowed time for questions 

before having to leave.

Then Bro. J. Davis stood and began by firstly talking on the meeting that took place between t

he unions and B.R., the various levels of discussion and A.S.L.E & F. reply’s, it was noted 

that Bro. Davis is on record as being opposed to any agreements, 

and the lack of leadership, he urged us to lobby the E.C. into doing something more positive.

He then went on to the Labour Supply problem, here in the South and how management seam 

prepared to have deals done in secret with individual depots in particular minder drivers, and 

that deals like these will become the norm in the future, and depots would be against other 

depots because of the earning powers they have. Bro. Davis urged members to go away and 

seriously consider the long term effects of the B.R. proposals. He then answered questions. 

Having answered many questions the meeting was closed.

The Brighton to London Bridge American Express train worked by Brighton driver Dave Knight (MLV No. 9004). On approaching the M25 over bridge at Merstham on the up Quarry line where the train was held up and it’s contents robbed.

Left - Right: Bedford Phil Cherry & Brighton  Dave Knight in Bedford Messroom

The 07.25 Tattenham Corner to London Bridge, on arriving at London Bridge collides with the buffer stops.

WEST WORTHING A.S.L.E.&F. MEMBERS 

OFF TO PASTURES NEW

The West Worthing A.S.L.E.F. members remained apart of the Brighton branch after the 

amalgamation. In August 1989 West Worthing A.S.L.E.F. members decided that it would be 

more beneficial for them to amalgamate with another branch. This was due to the on going 

problems that the Brighton Branch was facing with the newly amalgamated Brighton depot. 

This move was to end West Worthing's association with the Brighton Branches of the past fifty 

years.

The West Worthing A.S.L.E.F. members then became part of the Littlehampton Branch of 

A.S.L.E.F. in October 1989, where they remained members of until the Littlehampton Branch 

due to the closure of both West Worthing and Littlehampton depots in 1995 when the depots

 moved to the new depot at Barnham.