Charfield England Site of Rail Disaster

This is next in a series of films following the Gloucester to Bristol Railway. This week it is the turn of Charfield, known for the rail disaster that cost so many lives because of wooden coaches and gas heating and lights. The subsequent fire obliterated most of the carriages and those trapped inside. We go looking at the scene of the disaster and for the site of the station where there is a surprise waiting. We also take time out to visit the memorial to the victims of the crash in the local churchyard.
The railway from Standish where it parts company from the GWR going south to Bristol began life as a coal and freight line north of Bristol. It was later extended to Gloucester and then joined with the Birmingham to Gloucester line to enable goods and passengers to travel from Birmingham to Bristol in both directions.
Although the line remains, the stations in-between have not survived as well.
This series of films aims to look at or for evidence of these stations. Stonehouse, Frocester, Berkeley Road, Charfield, Wickwar and Yate.
We look for evidence and to tell the stories of the ‘goings on’ surrounding their history.