John Axon
{{short description|British train driver, posthumous recipient of the George Cross}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{About|the engine driver|the actor|John Axon (actor)}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1900|12|4}}
| birth_place = Stockport, Cheshire, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1957|2|9|1900|12|4}}
| death_place = Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, England
Cremated at Stockport Crematorium
| occupation = Train driver
}}
File:LMS 8F 48151 at Crewe Works.jpg locomotive of the sort involved in the accident]]
John Axon GC (4 December 1900 – 9 February 1957)Michael Ashcroft, George Cross Heroes, 2010 was an English train driver from Stockport (Edgeley Depot) who died while trying to stop a runaway freight train on a 1 in 58 gradient at Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire after a brake failure. The train consisted of an ex-LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0 No. 48188 hauling 33 wagons and a brake van.
Life
John Axon was born on 4 December 1900 in Stockport, Cheshire. On leaving school he became an apprentice painter and decorator. In 1919 he joined the London and North Western Railway as a cleaner, later becoming a fireman. From 1921 he was an engine driver, serving with the London, Midland and Scottish Railway from 1923, and British Railways after 1948.{{cite ODNB |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/101106 |title=Axon, John |last=Carter |first=Philip |year=2010|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/101106 |access-date=16 January 2022}}
Accident
On the outward trip from Stockport to Buxton on 9 February 1957, Driver Axon had noticed a leak from the supply to the locomotive steam brake and had requested and received fitter's attention at the Buxton depot. On the return trip from Buxton to Stockport, the repair did not hold and the brake pipe fractured, disabling the locomotive steam brake and filling the cab with scalding steam, making it very difficult and painful for Axon and the fireman, Ron Scanlon, to reach the controls. Despite this, Axon and Scanlon managed to partly close the regulator and screw down the engine's tender brakes to negligible effect. The inability to use the locomotive's whistle meant that the crew of the banking engine at the rear of Axon's train remained unaware of the problems at the front and kept pushing the train towards Dove Holes summit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/original/johnaxon.shtml|title=BBC - Radio 2 - BBC Radio Ballads - The Ballad of John Axon|website=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2017-11-26}}{{cite web |title=The Ballad of John Axon by Ewan MacCol |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/ewan-maccoll/the-ballad-of-john-axon |website=Songfacts |access-date=19 January 2022}}{{cite web |title=John Axon (1900-1957) |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176000691/john-axon |website=Find A Grave |access-date=19 January 2022}}
Axon told Scanlon to jump off and attempt to apply the wagon brakes of the loose-coupled train. Due to the speed the train was travelling, Scanlon only managed to apply a few before the train reached the summit and began accelerating down the 1-in-58 gradient towards Chapel-en-le-Frith. As the crew of the banking engine reached the summit to let the train continue under its own power, they were alarmed to see the train accelerating away from them, and the guard frantically applying the brakes to his van.{{cite web |last1=Keenor |first1=Gary |title=Report on the Collision which occurred on 9th February 1957 at Chapel-en-le Frith (South) |url=https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=290 |website=Railways Archive |access-date=27 January 2022}}
File:George Cross.jpg and its ribbon bar]]
At the time of the locomotive failure, Axon could have jumped clear of the then slow-moving train. However, aware of the danger that his train posed to life further down the line, he stayed at his post despite the scalding steam on the footplate.
Axon waved a warning to the signalman at Dove Holes, who opted to reverse the loop points despite the fact that the down main was still occupied by the Rowsley goods train. Knowing that the runaway train would derail on the trap siding, hitting Dove Holes signal box and station in the process, the signalman had the hope that Axon could regain control of his engine on the main line. He immediately telephoned to the Chapel-en-le-Frith signalman, who was in the process of clearing the Rowsley-to-Stockport freight service. He ordered the passengers of a stationary DMU to be moved to safety, but had no time to warn the crew of the passing goods to accelerate. The runaway smashed into the rear of it, killing John Axon and John Creamer, the other freight train's guard.{{cite web |last1=Hewitt |first1=Sam |title=Remembering hero driver John Axon |url=https://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/7332/remembering-hero-driver-john-axon/ |website=Heritage Railway |publisher=Mortons Media Group Ltd |access-date=19 January 2022}} The signalman barely escaped as the 8F's tender sideswiped his box, destroying it.
Recognition
File:Plaque commemorating John Axon & John Creamer. Granpic on Flickr.jpg commemorating John Axon and John Creamer]]
Axon was posthumously awarded the George Cross on 7 May 1957,{{London Gazette|issue=41062|page=2723|date=3 May 1957|supp=y}}{{cite news |first=Ian|last=Wylie|title=Royal star John Axon dies |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1075902_royal_star_john_dies |work=Manchester Evening News|date=25 October 2008 |access-date=21 November 2008}} which was donated to the National Railway Museum in York in 1978. He was also awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald.Bob Burrows, "The Ultimate Sacrifice: 11 February 1957", Infamous Cheshire (2006), p. 51-52.{{cite web |title=List of persons awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism |url=http://www.unionhistory.info/britainatwork/emuweb/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=282}}
He was the subject of a 1957 radio ballad (The Ballad of John Axon), the first of the series, written by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and produced by Charles Parker. A CD released in June 2008, 'Primary Transmission' by the artist Broadcaster on Red Grape Records, included the song 'Johnny' which is based on samples from the Ballad of John Axon and set to new music.
On 19 February 1981, a British Rail Class 86 electric locomotive number 86261 was named Driver John Axon, GC at a ceremony at Euston Station, London.
In February 2007, a DMU Class 150 train (150273) was named 'Driver John Axon, GC' at Buxton. This name has now passed onto a Class 156 DMU, 156460. A plaque commemorating the events was unveiled, to be mounted at Chapel-en-le Frith station. The plaque is now mounted on the station buildings at Chapel-en-le-Frith facing onto the southbound platform.
Family
On 17 September 1930 he married Gladys Richardson at St Matthew's Church, Stretford. They lived in Edgeley, Stockport and had two sons. His grandson, also named John Axon (1960 – 2008), was a television actor best known for his role as Nigel Harper in The Royal; he also played roles in series such as Life on Mars, City Central and Peak Practice.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41062/supplement/2723 GC citation in the London Gazette of 3 May 1957]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130604101947/http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/railwaymen.htm GC Awards to Railwaymen]
- [http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docSummary.php?docID=290 Official report on the collision]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/original/johnaxon.shtml The Ballad of John Axon, BBC Radio]
- [http://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/801.htm Article on the ballad]
{{Railway accidents in the United Kingdom, 1900–1999|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Axon, John}}
Category:British recipients of the George Cross
Category:British train drivers
Category:People from Stockport
Category:Railway accident deaths in England
Category:Train collisions in the United Kingdom