On the morning of 27th February 1891, a passenger train from Chesterfield was at Trent Station down platform, awaiting the arrival of the 08.30 service from Leicester. The latter had two engines, so that that the two trains could be split into three, heading to Derby, Nottingham and the Erewash Valley. There was dense fog, and the Leicester train had been held at the signal before the south junction but was then released by the signalman, who couldn’t see that the train ahead was covering nearly the whole length of the platform. The Leicester train ran into the station at about 7mph, but visibility was only a yard or two and it ran into the back of the stationary train, damaging the guards van and injuring several passengers, including W Smedley, a lace manufacturer from Sandiacre. A porter called Webb, who was on the track preparing to couple the trains, was more seriously injured and was taken to Derby infirmary. Mr Webb, the signalman at Trent Station South, was blamed for not sending a fog signalman, who was with him, to check the line was clear.
On 16th February 1898 a Manchester express hit a young man at Trent Junction. Samuel Hardy, from Sutton Bonnington was employed at the Sheet Stores. He had fractures to the arm and thigh and severe cuts and was taken to Derby infirmary.
On 3rd March 1899 a platelayer called John Knight, was working on the line near Trent Station. As a train approached, he stepped onto the other ‘four foot’ (the area between the rails) but was knocked down by the 6.05pm from Nottingham coming the other way. This train seems to have been taking the curve to the Erewash Valley line, instead of continuing towards Trent Station and had just switched from the mainline to the beginning of the curve. The back of his head was smashed and a leg broken. John Knight lived in Cross Street, Sawley. He was 61 and known as ‘sergeant’ because of his bearing. He had 6 children, and his younger brother George was also a platelayer.