The centenary of the Abermule Disaster will be on the 26th of this month. Is there any memorial in existence? Researches have flagged up that the Cambrian Board gave approval to the erection of a memorial stone, on the site, on 23rd February 1921. There the trail goes cold. Perhaps the impending sell-out to the GWR had an affect or could it have been that that particular accident 'knocked the stuffing' out of the Cambrian? At Red House Abermule Occupation Crossing there is no evidence of any memorial stone, nor heard mention of one.
Abermule disaster memorial
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andrewnummelin
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Abermule disaster memorial
Posted on behalf of Stuart Davies.
Regards,
Andrew Nummelin
Andrew Nummelin
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Wagonworks_andy
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Re: Abermule disaster memorial
Posted on behalf of Alan Rhodes
The answer to your question Stuart is rather complex and I do not know the reason why it has become so complex. As far as I am aware there is no single monument at the site. The only source I know of individual monuments i.e. gravestones in a few cemeteries is the book written by David Burkhill-Hogarth entitled the deadly tablet the Abermule disaster of 1921 published by Tempus in 2007. I quote from the book “It was proposed locally to erect a memorial stone at the sight of the crash; one suggestion was that it could be ‘a large undressed block of limestone from Pant Quarry, about 10 tons or so in weight, with a brass inscription plate let into it. This stone weathers well and keeps its colour.’ The Cambrian initially agreed to this, but later gave 200 guineas to the fans of the Montgomeryshire Infirmary at Newtown instead – this was ‘in grateful recognition of the services rendered by that institution’.”. To continue “ The Cambrian railways Museum at Oswestry contains a number of relics, including clerks commemorating the event; they are made from the wood of the wrecked vehicles, and usually carry the carriage number. There are also others in private hands, but the Ceredigion Museum at Aberystwyth can go one better – it holds the ‘Abermule triptych’. The triptych consists of a thick piece of oak with the frame screwed (12 brass screws), nailed and partly glued in place. Underneath the pictures the initials LW and the numbers 1155 are written in pencil. On the back are stamped 11 and 7730. GWR coach 7730 was the Aberystwyth to Paddington coach with great compartment which suffered the majority of the damage.”.
The book is well worth reading.
Regards
Alan
The answer to your question Stuart is rather complex and I do not know the reason why it has become so complex. As far as I am aware there is no single monument at the site. The only source I know of individual monuments i.e. gravestones in a few cemeteries is the book written by David Burkhill-Hogarth entitled the deadly tablet the Abermule disaster of 1921 published by Tempus in 2007. I quote from the book “It was proposed locally to erect a memorial stone at the sight of the crash; one suggestion was that it could be ‘a large undressed block of limestone from Pant Quarry, about 10 tons or so in weight, with a brass inscription plate let into it. This stone weathers well and keeps its colour.’ The Cambrian initially agreed to this, but later gave 200 guineas to the fans of the Montgomeryshire Infirmary at Newtown instead – this was ‘in grateful recognition of the services rendered by that institution’.”. To continue “ The Cambrian railways Museum at Oswestry contains a number of relics, including clerks commemorating the event; they are made from the wood of the wrecked vehicles, and usually carry the carriage number. There are also others in private hands, but the Ceredigion Museum at Aberystwyth can go one better – it holds the ‘Abermule triptych’. The triptych consists of a thick piece of oak with the frame screwed (12 brass screws), nailed and partly glued in place. Underneath the pictures the initials LW and the numbers 1155 are written in pencil. On the back are stamped 11 and 7730. GWR coach 7730 was the Aberystwyth to Paddington coach with great compartment which suffered the majority of the damage.”.
The book is well worth reading.
Regards
Alan
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Tanat Valley
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Re: Abermule disaster memorial
From David Smith with permission:
Today, the 26th January, will be the centenary of the Abermule Railway Disaster. In different times, I did wonder if there might be some sort of local event on the day, but not now.
Abermule Community Council posted a presentation on Youtube on Thursday last week:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEWyibGwwg
Some contemporary film after the accident was posted there a few years ago:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPeADFqGgO4
Even these days, it's possible to pass over the level crossing in Abermule in the summer and occasionally to see some 'old grey blokes' with cameras hanging about there - they're not waiting for a special, they are there just to see and to feel the ambiance of the place.
David
Alan
Today, the 26th January, will be the centenary of the Abermule Railway Disaster. In different times, I did wonder if there might be some sort of local event on the day, but not now.
Abermule Community Council posted a presentation on Youtube on Thursday last week:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEWyibGwwg
Some contemporary film after the accident was posted there a few years ago:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPeADFqGgO4
Even these days, it's possible to pass over the level crossing in Abermule in the summer and occasionally to see some 'old grey blokes' with cameras hanging about there - they're not waiting for a special, they are there just to see and to feel the ambiance of the place.
David
Alan
Alan Rhodes
(HMRS Cambrian Railways Steward)
(HMRS Cambrian Railways Steward)
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andrewnummelin
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Re: Abermule disaster memorial
Regards,
Andrew Nummelin
Andrew Nummelin