ON August 28, 1979, Northallerton was the scene of the first high speed derailment by the newly introduced InterCity125, as these remarkable pictures from Rodney Wildsmith, of Great Ayton, show.

Last week, we told of the town's 180 year love/hate relationship with the railways, which is all motorists talk about when they are stuck in long tailbacks at one of the town's two level crossings when they are desperate to get on with their Christmas shopping.

But we omitted the story of Northallerton's place in High Speed history.

The Northern Echo: The Northallerton InterCity125 derailment on August 28, 1979. Picture: Rodney Wildsmith

The Northallerton InterCity125 derailment on August 28, 1979. Picture: Rodney Wildsmith

On August 28, 1979, the 13:00 King’s Cross to Edinburgh service approached Northallerton at about 70mph, but “low gearbox lubricant” caused one set of wheels in the lead engine, No 43110, to lock. This caused the wheels behind it to skid until they snapped off the line causing the whole train, carrying 450 passengers, to derail.

The driver immediately applied the brakes and stopped the train within 550 metres. It came to rest at the start of the station platform.

The InterCity125 service had only been introduced to the East Coast Main Line in May 1978, and this was its first potentially serious incident. However, there was much relief in railway circles that the whole train had remained upright and had performed pretty well in the trying circumstances.

Many of the passengers were shocked by the rapid and noisy deceleration, but only one, a lady, required hospital treatment – she was - kept in overnight with concussion.

The Northern Echo: The Northallerton InterCity125 derailment on August 28, 1979. Picture: Rodney Wildsmith

The Northallerton InterCity125 derailment on August 28, 1979. Picture: Rodney Wildsmith