It continued to exist as a legal entity for nearly two more years, being formally wound up on 23 December 1949. On the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, the franchise to run long distance express trains on the East Coast Main Line was won by Sea Containers Ltd, who named the new operating company Great North Eastern Railway (GNER), a name and initials deliberately chosen to echo the LNER. Following the collapse of Virgin Trains East Coast in May 2018, the newly-nationalised operator of the East Coast Main Line was named London North Eastern Railway to evoke the earlier company. Cultural activities During the 1930s, the LNER Musical Society comprised a number of amateur male-voice choirs, based at Doncaster, Leicester, Huddersfield, Peterborough, Selby and elsewhere, which annually combined for a performance in London under their musical director Leslie Woodgate. Accidents On 13 February 1923, an express passenger train overran signals at , Nottinghamshire and ran into the rear of a freight train. Three people were killed. On 23 December 1923, an express passenger train overran signals and collided with a light engine at , Northumberland. On 28 July 1924, a passenger train overran signals and collided with another at station, Edinburgh, Lothian. Five people were killed. On 12 May 1926, during the General Strike, an express passenger train was deliberately derailed south of , Northumberland. On 7 August 1926, an electric multiple unit overran signals and collided with a freight train at station, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. The accident was caused by the driver tying down the controller with a handkerchief. When he leant out of the train he struck an overbridge and was killed. The train continued moving until the collision. On 30 August 1926, a passenger train collided with a charabanc on a level crossing at Naworth, Cumberland due to errors by the crossing keeper and a lack of interlocking between the signals and gates. Nine people are killed. On 14 February 1927, two passenger trains collided head-on at station, Yorkshire due to a signalman's error. Twelve people were killed and 24 were injured. On 27 February 1927, an express passenger train collided with a light engine at , Yorkshire due to a signalman's error. On 17 August 1928, a passenger train struck a lorry on a level crossing at Shepreth, Cambridgeshire and derailed. The fireman, and the lorry driver, were killed. On 27 June 1928, an