Geograph - photograph every grid square

Early in the morning of 10 November 1971, one of the wagons of a train carrying ballast from Westbury to Theale developed a "hot box", a faulty wheel bearing. This was not noticed, and eventually the bearing seized and caused the wagon to derail as it approached Hungerford station. This derailed more wagons, damaging the track as the train dragged them along, until the train reached the points at the west end of the station and the wagons left the track completely and piled up. Although several houses alongside the line were struck by flying ballast and the signal box was partly demolished, no-one was hurt.