22nd March 1945 "The 7.10 pm through freight train from Workington to Benkfield (Liverpool) of which the leading 7 wagons were loaded with depth charges, was passing through Bootle station on the Up line at about 20-25 m.p.h. when the enginemen noticed that one of the leading wagons was on fire. The driver, H. Goodall, stopped the train and the fireman, H.N. Stubbs, who had alighted before it stopped, uncoupled behind the burning wagon, which was one of the high-sided open type, marshalled 6th from the engine. Stubbs then rejoined the engine and the 6 wagons were drawn forward for about 80 yards; he alighted again while the engine was still in motion, and after he had uncoupled in front of the burning wagon, the leading 5 wagons were taken forward for a further 80 yards. Two or three minutes later, the load of 52 depth charges exploded with great violence. I regret to report that Driver Goodall was killed; his body was found by the lineside about 70 yards in rear of the crater, which suggests that he had gone back, either to see what he could do himself, or to seek assistance to extinguish the fire there is little doubt that the prompt action of the enginemen in isolating the burning wagon, without regard to personal risk, prevented a far more serious explosion." https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Bootle1945.pdf Explosion on 22 March 1945[edit] At about 22:17 on 22 March 1945 a wagon containing depth charges in a southbound freight train caught fire on approaching Bootle. The train crew, driver H. Goodall and fireman Herbert Norman Stubbs, on becoming aware of the fire, stopped the train south of Bootle station. Despite the fierce fire, the crew isolated the burning wagon by uncoupling the rear portion of the train, then drawing it forward to before uncoupling the burning wagon. With the wagon isolated, the fireman went forward to protect the northbound line while the driver went back in a possible attempt to fight the fire. At this point the depth charges violently exploded, killing the driver and creating a crater 105 feet long to a depth of 50 feet. The line was closed for three days whilst the crater was filled in and the track relaid. Bootle railway station - Wikipedia
