These web pages provide information about high profile fire and rescue incidents which have been attended and managed by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service on bahalf of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority within the county of Berkshire. Use the various links to navigate to the relevant sections for further information.
Incidents of Public Interest
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The following fire and rescue incidents attended by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue have been identified as having an ongoing and high public interest.
The following fire and rescue incidents attended by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue have been identified as having an ongoing and high public interest.
- 2004 Ufton Nervet Rail Crash
- 1992 Windsor Castle Fire
At 18:12 p.m. on 6th November 2004, First Great Western’s 17:35 p.m. service travelling from London
Paddington to Plymouth hit a stationary car at an automatic level crossing, with a driver inside.
The accident occurred on the narrow lane linking the village of Ufton Nervet to the Bath Road (A4), about 300 metres from their junction. The level crossing is between the Theale and Aldermaston stations, situated within the county of Berkshire, England. The train was not scheduled to stop at either station. An inquest held subsequently concluded that the accident was caused by the driver of the car, who committed suicide by parking on the level crossing.
The train involved was a Class 43 (HST High Speed Train), 43019. The rear of this 220m-long train came to rest approximately 100m beyond the crossing. All eight of its coaches derailed. Six people were killed in the crash, including the car’s driver, the driver of the train, and four of its passengers. Another passenger subsequently died in hospital. There were a total of seven fatalities. Approximately 200 people were aboard at the time of the incident, with around half of these injured, with 12 serious injuries. Eleven people had to be cut free from the wreckage.
The accident investigation and necessary repairs blocked the main railway route between London and the West Country until the morning of 16th November. During the period of line closure inter-city trains operated via Swindon and Westbury, and local services were replaced by rail and bus shuttles.
The accident occurred on the narrow lane linking the village of Ufton Nervet to the Bath Road (A4), about 300 metres from their junction. The level crossing is between the Theale and Aldermaston stations, situated within the county of Berkshire, England. The train was not scheduled to stop at either station. An inquest held subsequently concluded that the accident was caused by the driver of the car, who committed suicide by parking on the level crossing.
The train involved was a Class 43 (HST High Speed Train), 43019. The rear of this 220m-long train came to rest approximately 100m beyond the crossing. All eight of its coaches derailed. Six people were killed in the crash, including the car’s driver, the driver of the train, and four of its passengers. Another passenger subsequently died in hospital. There were a total of seven fatalities. Approximately 200 people were aboard at the time of the incident, with around half of these injured, with 12 serious injuries. Eleven people had to be cut free from the wreckage.
The accident investigation and necessary repairs blocked the main railway route between London and the West Country until the morning of 16th November. During the period of line closure inter-city trains operated via Swindon and Westbury, and local services were replaced by rail and bus shuttles.
In 1992 Windsor Castle situated to the west of London at Windsor suffered severe damage in a fire, which destroyed
some of the most historic parts of the building. Windsor Castle is known as the largest inhabited castle in the world and
is one of the official residences of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
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