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Railway catastrophe Bellevue, 8 May 1842. Packed train travelling from Versailles to Paris
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Railway catastrophe Bellevue, 8 May 1842. Packed train travelling from Versailles to Paris
Railway catastrophe Bellevue, 8 May 1842. Packed train travelling from Versailles to Paris, pulled by 2 locomotives. Axle on first failed. 3 carriages, doors locked, piled up and burst into flames. 55 killed, many injured. Watercolour and gouache
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Media ID 9769287
© Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group
1842 Carriages Doors Failed Flames Gouache Injured Killed Locomotives Packed Paris Pulled Railway Steam Train Transport Travelling Versailles Watercolour Axle Bellevue Burst Catastrophe Locked Piled
EDITORS COMMENTS
This gripping print captures the devastating railway catastrophe that occurred in Bellevue on 8 May 1842. A packed train, bustling with passengers traveling from Versailles to Paris, was being pulled by two powerful locomotives. However, tragedy struck when the axle on the first locomotive failed, leading to a catastrophic chain of events. As a result of this mechanical failure, three carriages were violently thrown off track and piled up in a horrifying collision. To make matters worse, the doors of these carriages were locked shut, trapping helpless passengers inside as chaos ensued. The unimaginable horror escalated when flames erupted from the wreckage, engulfing everything in its path. The aftermath of this calamity was heart-wrenching; 55 lives were tragically lost and countless others suffered severe injuries. This poignant watercolour and gouache artwork serves as a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the dangers associated with early forms of transportation. In France's quest for progress through steam-powered railways during this era, accidents like these served as painful lessons that safety measures needed improvement. This photograph stands as both an artistic representation and historical documentation of one such tragic event - forever etching it into our collective memory
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