Great Western Coffee Shop

From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19818281):

Some interesting comments about this accident in yesterdays BBC London News item; on board one of the trains involved was a team of USA field medics they used the equipment they had with them setting up triage system the newly formed NHS Ambulance service learned from the procedures used by the USA medics, one of the survivors of the accident suggested that this was the foundation of the modern day paramedics.

Harrow & Wealdtone was closely followed a few years later by Lewisham both these accidents lead to the widespread introduction of AWS

London Reconnections did a very good (IMHO) article on the incident (including a fair bit on the implications for the NHS and ambulance service) last year, and they have re-published it for the 60th anniversary. 

I think you'll probably find it interesting:  http://www.londonreconnections.com/2012/angels-and-errors-how-the-harrow-wealdstone-disaster-helped-shape-modern-britain/

Paul 

Thanks very much for posting that link, Paul - it's an excellent account of the accident.

I felt for Armitage, the signalman, watching the disaster unfold in front of him and, despite his frantic efforts, being unable to prevent it.

I knew a signalman who was working at Princes Risborough that day.  He had very vivid memories of that morning and was double and triple checking everything he did that day as the news filtered down to him.