'We had just lit a cigarette when there were two big bangs and the carriage was engulfed in flames'
manchestereveningnews.co.ukIt's been nearly 40 years since a fatal train crash rocked Greater Manchester. The rail tragedy happened in Eccles when an express passenger train crashed into a freight train carrying oil tankers.
On the morning of December 4, 1984, an eight coach intercity passenger train was travelling from Liverpool to Scarborough. Just after 10.30am, having not long passed through Eccles Station, it ploughed into the back of a train carrying 15 oil tankers.
Newspapers, including the Manchester Evening News, reported the crash caused a 'tremendous explosion', destroying the first two coaches of the passenger train and sent a fireball into the air.
Hundreds of people surrounding the scene between Eccles New Road, Weaste and the M602 were evacuated from homes, shops and offices. READ MORE: One of Manchester's worse rail disasters that saw train plummet into river below leaving 10 dead and 58 hurt READ MORE: The horror Manchester air disaster which killed 55 holidaymakers and changed air travel forever Declared a major accident, an appeal went out for doctors, nurses or anyone with medical experience to help.
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