19th May 1991

The level crossing at Axe Gates does have a bit of a hump to it, so drivers beware! An HST, lead by 43174 and trailed by 43029, heads an up service on the approach to the level crossing. Trains were being diverted after the former GWR mainline was closed due to a serious derailment at Bradford-on-Tone. A west-bound oil train, I guess carrying fuel for the Western depots, had come off the tracks and caught fire. It was a major emergency and headline news on TV as I recall. Thankfully no one was injured.