. ▁The ▁train ▁crew ▁decided ▁to ▁divide ▁the ▁train ▁and ▁take ▁forward ▁the ▁front ▁portion , ▁leaving ▁the ▁rear ▁portion ▁on ▁the ▁running ▁line . ▁The ▁rear ▁portion ▁was ▁in ade qu ately ▁bra ked ▁and ▁ran ▁back ▁down ▁the ▁gradient , ▁coll iding ▁with ▁a ▁following ▁train . ▁ ▁E ight y ▁people ▁were ▁killed ▁and ▁ 2 6 0 ▁injured , ▁about ▁a ▁third ▁of ▁them ▁children . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁worst ▁rail ▁dis aster ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁in ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century , ▁and ▁remains ▁Ireland ' s ▁worst ▁railway ▁dis aster ▁ever . ▁To ▁this ▁day , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁fourth ▁worst ▁railway ▁accident ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁worst ▁rail ▁dis aster ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁led ▁directly ▁to ▁various ▁safety ▁measures ▁becoming ▁legal ▁requirements ▁for ▁rail ways ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁This ▁was ▁important ▁both ▁for ▁the ▁measures ▁introduced ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁move ▁away ▁from ▁volunt ar ism ▁and ▁towards ▁more ▁direct ▁state ▁inter vention ▁in ▁such ▁matters . ▁ ▁Circ um st ances ▁of ▁the ▁accident ▁ ▁The ▁exc urs ion ▁sets ▁out ▁Arm agh ▁Sunday ▁school ▁had ▁organ ised ▁a ▁day ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁se as ide ▁resort ▁of ▁Warren point , ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁about ▁. ▁A ▁special ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁of ▁Ireland ▁train ▁was ▁arranged ▁for ▁the ▁journey , ▁intended ▁to ▁carry ▁about ▁eight ▁hundred ▁passengers . ▁The ▁railway ▁route ▁was ▁ste ep ly ▁grad ed ▁and ▁cur ved , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁ ▁from