The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-06-05 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT
NORTHERN RAILWAY.

An accident of an alarming and somewhat peculiar
character occurred on Wednesday evening shortly after
C. o'clock. which. although happily unattended by fatal
ulta, wes of Autliciently serious a nature to occasion
met .xiety, awl to give rise in the immediate neigh..
hourlimel to report. of a very exaggerated naturt. The
risk and iineerMinty attendant slain railway travelling,
and iserhape more particularly upon that variety so
popular during the "Excursion" sexism', may receive
additional confirmation front the event referred to, as
showing that whatever care and foresight may be earl..
Mae& contingencies will sometimes urine in which,
humanly ',peaking, those quelities so essential in dealing
with iii.itters relating to risk of life or limb become
either inapplicable or inefficient. It appears that an
excursion train from Liverpool, Manchester, and
Sheffield left Liverpool at a quarter to 9 in the morn-
ing, being due at the terminus of the Ureat Northern
Railway, King's-cross. at • quarter to 6. The train con-
sisted of 33 carriages and two breaks, the latter being,
as usual, under the charge respectively of the head and
under guard. A large number of persons were waiting
at the Hines-cross station, as is generally the ease with
trains of this class, and either in conisequence of its
length or some other cause, it did not arrive at the
time indicated on the time-bills. However, shortly
after 6 o'clock the expected train emerged trots the

tunnel, and was seen approaching. but at a rate that
appeared to cion c ince everyone pr sent that something Was
wrong,
at it was apparent that utile. the ipeed at which
is was careering Was instantly seslnied sonic catastrophe
must occur. There we, little time for conaideration,
hut aighals were instantly made to the guard and engine'
driver to slacken the speed, but in spite of the efforts
of the engine-driver, who immediately reversed his
engine, the train continued to apprnach at *something
like eight miles an hour or upwards. The excitement
now Isecaine intense, and person might lie meet, jinni.-
in,„w down upon the line and scattering sand upon the
rails in the hope of retarding a disaster which now
appeared inevitahle. It al;snld .be statesl that,
in rieler to prochle against similar emergencies,
what is technically termed a "stop" is always
placed at the end of terminal stations, which
in ease of an occurrence similar to the present one, is
generally effectual in presenting all impenetrable barrier
to any further ',regrew. In this case, however, it Was
u.it so, for in spitv. of the efforts of the engine-driver
and the head guard, the speed was not sensibly
diminished, the engine finally careering through the
station and dashing against the "atop." The impetus
u:is an great that the engine actually leaped over the
barrier, dragging with it the tender, bftalpran, anal two
carriages, proceeding with diminiahed force upon the
level ground, across the street, and was finally brought
to a stand, after demolishing the temporary fencing of
the Metropolitan Railway Company. The remaining
carriages were, strange to say, not disconnected by the
shuck, although several of the occupants were found to
he severely braked and aliaken. Medical attendance
was instantly aelit for, and Mr. Child., Mr. Sotheron.
and several surgeotri from the Great Northern Hospital
were promptly on the spot, fiki far as could be ascer-
tained there are four persons injured, although it iii
believed not seriously. Thew arc two gentlemen, Mr.
Harding and sir. Plant, who were removed to the
Great Northern Hotel and Mr. G. Hcnshate mul a
Imiy, whose natne did not transpire, who are now lying
at the Victoria Hotel. Immediately after the accident
the news spread like wild fire through the neighbour.
hood, and the station was instantly besieged by crouils
of people. Mr. Oakley, the superintendent of the line,
was on the spot almost iiiiintaleitely after the occurrence,
and despatched an engine to inform the Secretary of the
a .cident. Information haying rea chetl Inspector
Williams that Wair, ner, the underguard of the train,
appiared to be in a partial atato of intoxication, he
(Mr. WP.liamal at 01100 sent for him and took hint Into
custody on the charge of 'ieing drank and nealsgemtly
omitting to perform his di ty. So far as can be learnt
at present, it iv..... appeal that the accident arose from
the hreak not having twain applied in time to retard the
motion of the train.