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Rail disaster of 1957 marked by St John's plaque

Sean Coughlanand
Ayshea Buksh,St John's, Lewisham
Mirrorpix via Getty Images Scene of the Lewisham rail crash in 1957. An Express train ran into a stationary Electric train between Lewisham and St John's stations, London on 4th December 1957. The collision occurred underneath a loop line bridge, and the force of the collision catapulted the carriages into the air and brought part of the iron bridge weighing hundreds of tons, crushing down on the trapped passengers.Mirrorpix via Getty Images
The force of the collision catapulted the carriages into the air

The victims of the St John's rail crash have been remembered in a special ceremony as a commemorative plaque was unveiled at St John's station.

An electric train and a steam train collided in thick fog on 4 December 1957, killing 90 people and injuring many more - making it one of the worst disasters in British railway history.

Immediately after the crash, locals joined the relief effort amid harrowing scenes, tending to injured passengers and taking in those who were stranded.

Members of the community and the St John's Society gathered at the station on Saturday for the unveiling of the memorial. The event included speeches, choral performances and readings and music.

Litsa Breingan Plaque being placed on the wall at St John's station, remembering those who lost their livesLitsa Breingan
The plaque remembers the 90 people who died
Getty Images Volunteers helping rescuers at the scene of the train crash near St John's in 1957Getty Images
There had been much praise for local people who had helped rescuers

A parliamentary debate the day after the crash heard how local people "so unselfishly put their houses and their belongings at the disposal of the rescuers".

Litsa Breingan from the St John's Society, which organised the plaque, told BBC London:

"I just felt that this was really important, that we should recognise the people who lived in St John's before, to thank them for the enormous efforts they made that night."

Local author and historian Tony Redding's father worked for British Rail at the time and helped cut people free from the wreckage.

"It was the first time I ever saw my father cry, and it became too much because it was so desperately sad, as were so many scenes at the crash site."

He added that the plaque - the memorial to the crash victims - was "long overdue".

"I think it's right that they should be remembered at this station."

A large group of men and women standing in a circle, at a train station. A man stands in the centre appearing to conduct or lead a song.
Members of the local community sang and did readings during a ceremony

The memorial was funded by the Railway Heritage Trust and the local St John's Society.

The maroon-coloured plaque, on the long brick wall approaching the station entrance, is part of the London Borough of Lewisham's heritage scheme.

The collision was a major national event, prompting a government report.

Investigators found there were about 1,500 people on the electric train and 700 people on the steam train involved, and it took more than a week to carry out the recovery and clear the tracks to re-open the rail lines.

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