The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-08-22 00:00:00

RETURN OF RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

From a return issued a few days ago it appears
Lhat tho number of persons killed on railways in the
United Kingdom in the course of public traffic during
the six months ending the 30th of June, 1885, as re-
ported to the Board of Trade, was 435, and the
number of injured 1532. But the total number of
personal accidents reported to the Board of Trade by
the several railway companies during the six months
was 456 persons killed and 3309 injured. During
the six months there were reported 16 collisions
between passenger trains or parts of passenger trains,
by which 34 passengers and 7 servants were injured;
18 collisions between passenger- trains and goods or
mineral trains, &c., by which 5 passengers and 1 ser-
vant were killed, and 60 passengers and 7 servants
were injured; 8 collisions between goods trains or
parts of goods trains, by which one servant was
killed, and 3 cattle-drovers and 4 servants were in-
jured; 28 cases of passenger trains or parts of
passenger trains leaving the rails, by which 3
passengers were injured; 7 eases of goods trains or
parts of goods trains leaving the rails, by which 2
servants were killed and one was injured; 3 cases of
trains travelling in the wrong direction through points,
by which 3 passengers and one servant were injured;
5 eases of trains running int) stations or sidings at too
high a speed, by which 65 passengers were injured;
61 cases of trains running over cattle or other obstruc-
tions on the line, involving injury to one servant ; 2
cases of the failure of machinery, springs, &c., of en-
gines, by which 7 passengers and 2 servants were in-
jured; and 4 failures of couplings, involving injury to
2 servants. The following cases were also reported,
but they involved no personal injury: 19 cases of
trains running through gates at level crossings; 435
failures of tyres; 169 failures of axles; 112 broken
rails; 4 fires in trains. Six persons were killed and
17 injured by falling between carriages and platforms,
5 killed and 8 injured when getting into, and 1 killed
and 9 injured when alighting from trains; 6 were k illed
and 199 injured by fallinpon to platforms, ballast, &c.,
1 killed and 17 injured when getting into, and Skilled and
182 injured when alighting from trains; 12 were killed
and 7 injured while passing over the line at stations;
33 were injured by the closing of carriage doors; 2
were killed and 9 injured by falling out of carriages
during the travelling of trains; 9 were killed and 30
injured from other causes. Thirty persons were
killed and 7 injured whilst passing over railways at
level crossings, 114 persons were killed and 50 injured
when trespassing on the railways, and 19 persons
committed suicide on railways. Among the accidents
to servants of the companies we find that 16 were
killed and 944 injured while coupling or uncoupling
vehicles; 6 were killed and 20 injured by falling off
engines and during the travelling of trains; 9 were
killed and 51 injured while getting on or off engines
and vans during the travelling of trains; 45 were
killed and 65 injured while working on the railway;
and 37 were killed and 50 injured while walking on or
crossing the line on duty.