This talk examines the events surrounding the multi-train rail crash near Gretna, just over the Scottish border, and only eighteen miles north of Carlisle. With over 220 dead, it remains the worst crash in British rail history. We look at the sequence of events and the response of local people in supporting the casualties as well as the response of the rail company and authorities. David will consider how the stranding of a liner may have contributed, as well as the impact of the pressure on rail companies in 1915. We will also debate whether there was a conspiracy to protect the name and reputation of the Caledonian Railway Company.
David is a retired teacher, and author of two books. He is a Volunteer researcher for the Royal Fusiliers Museum, Tower of London and he lives in Cumbria. His book titled; ‘The Stockbrokers' Battalion in the Great War’ was published in 2013.