Summit Tunnel Fire on the Manchester–Leeds Line

On December 20, 1984, a freight train hauling petrol for British Rail derailed inside Summit Tunnel, located between Littleborough and Todmorden on the Manchester–Leeds route. Several tank wagons ruptured, releasing large quantities of fuel that ignited, creating a fire so intense it produced flame jets emerging from ventilation shafts like chimneys. The incident, although spectacularly destructive to the tunnel’s interior lining, caused no fatalities thanks to quick action by the crew and emergency responders. The fire burned for days, with temperatures reaching levels that risked structural collapse. Engineers later discovered that, despite external scorching, the tunnel’s Victorian-era brick lining had survived remarkably well. After extensive repairs and safety reviews, Summit Tunnel reopened the following year. The event remains one of the most studied British rail fire incidents for its engineering lessons and emergency-response coordination.