User:Dcharnley



On 22 October 1895, one of the most spectacular accidents in the history of the French railway occurred when the express train No.56 running from Granville to Paris, carrying 131 passengers, failed to stop in time, crashing through the buffers. The locomotive, No.721 type 120, finally came to rest after nose-diving through the façade of the station and landing on the pavement in front of the station, some ten metres below.

The train was driven by Guillaume Marie Pellerin, who had worked for the rail service for 19 years. The carriages included two wagons of luggage, one of mail, and eight passenger carriages, all of which remained within the station.

Having departed around ten minutes late, the driver wanted to arrive on time at Montparnasse failed to break early enough. The train chief, Albert Mariette, attempted to operate the emergency breaks, but without success.

Il y eut seulement cinq blessés graves : deux voyageurs, un pompier et les deux employés des chemins de fer.

Only one person died in the incident, as the train fell near a news kiosque set up in front of the station, when a piece of the façade fell from the station.

The driver was sentenced to two months in prison and fined 50 francs, while the train chief was made to pay 25 francs.

The 450,000 kg locomotive remained almost intact after the ten-metre fall. It took four days before it could be removed, during which time news of the accident had spread, bringing crowds of people to come and see the spectacular sight for themselves.

Liens externes

 * Article de La Nature, 9 novembre 1895.

Ulykken på Gare Montparnasse Zugunglück am Gare Montparnasse Treinongeval Gare Montparnasse Accident Ferroviaire de la Gare Montparnasse