Memorials held to mark 20th anniversary of the Selby rail crash

Events were held to mark the 20th anniversary of the Selby rail crash Credit: Editorial

Events were held today in Selby and Newcastle to mark the 20th anniversary of the Selby rail crash - the worst UK rail tragedy of the 21st century.

The memorials remember the 10 men who died in the collision between an GNER InterCity passenger service and a fully-laden coal train near the North Yorkshire village of Great Heck.

LNER Managing Director David Horne lays a wreath at Newcastle Central Station Credit: LNER

Organisers said it is important the commemorations go ahead, despite having to be held remotely due to the pandemic.

Two train drivers, two others GNER staff and six passengers died on 28 February 2001, after the Newcastle to London passenger service struck a Land Rover which had careered off the M62 motorway and crashed onto the track.

The derailed passenger train, which was travelling at 117mph, was then hit by the Freightliner train, carrying 1,600 tonnes of coal, coming the other way, with catastrophic results.

The Selby rail crash was the worst UK rail tragedy of the 21st century

Online memorial events were broadcast from Great Heck and Newcastle on Sunday morning and organisers say people around the world are expected to join in.

Wreaths were laid, there was readings - and a pause as an LNER train passes Great Heck and sounds its horn as a tribute to those who died.

On Sunday afternoon, an online memorial service will be live-streamed from Selby Abbey, led by Canon John Weetman, Vicar of Selby Abbey, and the Reverend Peter Hibbs.

A commemorative candle will be lit for each of those who lost their lives.

The accident claimed the lives of John Weddle, the GNER driver; Steve Dunn, the Freightliner driver, and eight other men - Steve Baldwin, Alan Ensor, Raymond Robson, Paul Taylor, Clive Vidgen, Barry Needham, Robert Shakespeare and Christopher Terry.