1. John Axon GC was an English train driver from Stockport who died while trying to stop a runaway freight train on a 1 in 58 gradient at Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire after a brake failure.
12 Facts About John Axon
1. 2.
John Axon was born on 4 December 1900 in Stockport, Cheshire.
3.
The inability to use the locomotive's whistle meant that the crew of the banking engine at the rear of John Axon's train remained unaware of the problems at the front and kept pushing the train towards Dove Holes summit.
4.
John Axon told Scanlon to jump off and attempt to apply the wagon brakes of the loose-coupled train.
5.
At the time of the locomotive failure, John Axon could have jumped clear of the then slow-moving train.
6.
John Axon waved a warning to the signalman at Dove Holes, who opted to reverse the loop points despite the fact that the down main was still occupied by the Rowsley goods train.
7.
John Axon immediately telephoned to the Chapel-en-le-Frith signalman, who was in the process of clearing the Rowsley-to-Stockport freight service.
8.
John Axon ordered the passengers of a stationary DMU to be moved to safety, but had no time to warn the crew of the passing goods to accelerate.
9.
John Axon was posthumously awarded the George Cross on 7 May 1957, which was donated to the National Railway Museum in York in 1978.
10.
John Axon was awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald.
11.
John Axon was the subject of a 1957 radio ballad, the first of the series, written by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and produced by Charles Parker.
12.
John Axon's grandson, named John Axon, was a television actor best known for his role as Nigel Harper in The Royal; he played roles in series such as Life on Mars, City Central and Peak Practice.