Railway disasters were a new phenomenon in early Victorian England. One of the first to be investigated by the Railway Inspectorate was at Howden, a month after the Hull & Selby Railway opened, in which five people died in a derailment in 1840. Signalling and safety procedures have developed over the years and the railways have become much safer, but even in recent times accidents have happened. Yorkshire, the largest historic county in England and encompassing densely populated towns and cities, heavily industrialised areas, remote rural areas and coastal settlements, has seen its fair share of railway disasters over the last two centuries, including several at Penistone in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the worst accident on Britain’s network in the twenty-first century at Great Heck.

Author Richard M. Jones reveals the stories behind the railway accidents in Yorkshire from the early days of the railways in the 1840s to the twenty-first century. Illustrated throughout, it will appeal to all those with an interest in railway history as well as those who would like to know more about this part of England.

'This is an excellent read, is well researched, and deserves a rating of 5/5.' -- Roger Smith * Rail Advent, 5th January 2026 *
'It is a useful round-up of otherwise disconnected events, by an author who not only writes about his subject but takes steps to preserve its place in local history.' * Railway Magazine, January 2026 *
'The book is well illustrated with photographs and contemporary drawings. This is an accessible account of many railway tragedies.' * Friends of the National Railway Museum Review, Winter 2025/26 *

Richard M. Jones is a historian specialising in the local history of places in Yorkshire, particularly on the coast, maritime and military topics including shipwrecks and other disasters, the First and Second World Wars, and railways. He has published numerous books on these subjects and appeared on numerous radio and tv programmes as well as podcasts and blogs.