A RAIL disaster could well have been the outcome of a road accident near Worcester around this time 50 years ago.
Berrow's Journal for this week of 1953 reported the lucky escape under the headline: "Van Might Have Derailed Express":-
"A van which toppled down the railway embankment at Bredicot Bridge, Spetchley, might have derailed the Bradford-Bristol Express had it fallen just a few feet further across the line, Worcester County Magistrates were told on Tuesday.
"Before the court was the driver of the van, David Sterling of Manchester, who was fined £7 with £5.5s costs, for driving without due care and attention.
Bridge
"Mr. D.J Hughes-Morgan, prosecuting, said Sterling lost control of his vehicle in negotiating the bend on the approach to the bridge. The van crashed through the railings, toppled 12 feet down the railway embankment and came to rest with its bonnet just protruding over the railway line.
"Thirty seconds later, the express train came past and hit the van bonnet, but fortunately without coming to any harm. There had been 500 to 600 passengers on the train, and had the van fallen further over the line, there might well have been a disastrous accident, claimed Mr Hughes-Morgan."
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