A Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway driver was hailed a hero after leaping from his cab seconds before his locomotive smashed into a tractor on a level crossing.
Zak Clarke, who is in his early 20s, immediately picked himself up and went to help passengers from the train, which was derailed by the force of the impact.
The crash happened around 2.30pm on Saturday, September 10, as a train headed by the line’s first locomotive, 1925-built Davey Paxman Pacific No. 1 Green Goddess, was heading through Dymchurch towards Hythe when a tractor hauling a trailer fully loaded with hay pulled on to the level crossing in front.
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Zak sounded his whistle to alert him but when he realised that the tractor was not going to stop, he slammed the brakes fully on.
Read more in Issue 220 of Heritage Railway
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