South Yorkshire Times, May 9th 1970
Passenger Train Escapes in Bridge Derailment Drama
A British Railways goods train was derailed last Friday on the railway bridge over Station Road, Thurnscoe…only minutes before a passenger train was due to cross the bridge. The passenger train, which was due to arrive at the bridge about 11 a.m., had to be stopped at the now closed Frickley Station to avoid a disaster.
Jack Batemen, who owns a butcher’s shop near to the bridge, was cutting meat when he heard a northbound train hit the bridge, “immediately I heard the bang I knew that it was derailed. When I turned round, I could see the wagons jumping.”
The train hit the wall and fence which is on the side of the bridge, bending the fence and knocking a small piece out of the wall itself. Mr. Bateman believes that it was probably hitting the bridge that kept the train – of empty iron wagons – on the bridge. “It was probably a blessing in disguise that the train hit the bridge otherwise someone could have been killed,” he said.