Speeding tram overturns and kills seven in Croydon

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By Keith Fender

EVEN people were killed and more than 50 injured, some receiving life-changing injuries, when a tram on the London Tramlink system derailed approaching the Sandilands tram stop in Croydon on November 9.

An aerial view of the aftermath of the derailment of Croydon tram No. 2551 at 43.5mph on the sharp curve approaching Sandilands station. JIM BENNETT/INVICTA KENT MEDIA

This was the worst tram accident in the UK in 99 years and the first tram accident resulting in a passenger fatality since 1959.

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The passengers who died were Dane Chinnery, 19, Dorota Rynkiewicz, 35, Philip Logan, 52, and Robert Huxley, 63, all from New Addington, Philip Seary, 57, Mark Smith, 35, and Donald Collett, 62, all from Croydon.

The accident occurred at 06.07 and involved a service from New Addington to Wimbledon, operated by tram No. 2551, one of the 1998 Bombardier-built ‘Flexity Swift’ CR4000 LRVs, used on the Tramlink system when it opened.

Read more in December’s issue of The RM

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