East Yorkshire historian Richard Jones champions Moorgate disaster victims with memorial ahead of the 50th anniversary.
Richard spent years raising money. Finally, the memorial sits in Finsbury Square. It remembers 43 people who died in the 1975 Moorgate crash. Now, another memorial campaign is succeeding, marking a rail disaster near Hull.
Richard wrote “End of the Line,” covering the Moorgate disaster. He published the book in 2015. Many affected families still talk to him.
Richard has always studied disasters closely. He put up a Lockington rail crash memorial in 2010. Moorgate families then asked for his help. They wanted a memorial for their tragedy .
In 2013, the black granite memorial appeared, listing all 43 names. London Underground added their plaque later. Richard’s book gave possible reasons for the crash , clearing the driver of false accusations.
The memorial project succeeded. People keep telling Richard about the tragedy, saying it affected them deeply. Many families still contact him today, and he considers them friends.
Richard republished “End of the Line” recently, with a small addition. Now, you can buy it in hardback. He sees the memorial as a journey. It was his third memorial and fourth book, both focused on forgotten disasters.
Richard has published 23 books to date. He erected his 17th memorial on February 14th. This one honors a 1927 Hull rail disaster where two trains crashed near Hull Royal Infirmary. Twelve died, and dozens suffered injuries.
The Moorgate crash deeply impacted people. It shocked London and its transport system. A similar incident did not occur until 2005. Emergency crews faced heat and wreckage underground, working hard to rescue victims.
Richard respects rescue teams greatly. He always includes a tribute on memorials to honor them. Fifty years pass since the tragic event. Families will remember their loved ones. They will visit the memorials to grieve, something they could not do before 2013, because all prior memorial attempts had failed.
Richard feels proud to help them. He hopes the memorial will last, serving as a reminder of those who died. He thanks families and rescuers. They spoke openly despite their deep pain.
The memorial cannot bring back lost lives, but Richard could tell their story. He wanted to leave behind information for the future. He will keep researching forgotten disasters, planning to raise more plaques. He seeks to ensure tragedies remain remembered.