Monday, January 28, 1952

FRONT page news today came from an inquest that was opened following a railway station bridge collapse, which killed one Blackburn man and injured 175 others.

The bridge, across the lines and linking platforms, crashed as Blackburn Rovers football supporters queued for their train after a match at Bury.

Frank Turton from British Rail’s bridge and steel department, said he had found the metal strips of the Knowsley Street station bridge badly corroded, following inspection.

Albert Tims, district engineer of Lancaster Place, Blackburn, who was in charge of around 1,750 bridges produced a report on the inspection the bridge, which had been carried out in 1948, but revealed nothing to cause alarm.

Leading porter David Foulkes was praised for his ‘high degree of presence of mind’ in contacting the both east and west signal boxes to stop approaching trains, after he heard a loud crack as the floor of the bridge gave way.

Fred Smith, of Richmond Terrace, Darwen, who was on the bridge when it fell, said: “It appeared to hang for a second and then down it went.” More than 200 Rovers supporters were flung from the bridge, with 120 taken to hospital and 37 detained.

Our front page image showed a fairway at Blackburn Golf Club, being used for sliding, following heavy snow falls.

Taking to his skis was Ian Whalley of Whinney Lane, Blackburn, a member of the British ski Club.

Following heavy blizzards the AA advised all motorists not to travel and to stay at home.