The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-24 00:00:00

RAILWAY COLLISION NEAR
DONCASTER.

MANY LIVES LOST.

A terrible skcident occurred at a quarter-past twelve
on Friday afternoon last week between Hexthorpe
Junction and Hexthorpe-bridge, a distance of about
two miles from the central Doncaster Station. This
town bad been very full all the week in connection
with tho St. Leger race meeting, and people of all
classes thronged day after day up to the town moors.
A large number of visitors had been staying in the
town itself, but by far the largest proportion have
been brought in by train every day and taken away
again at night. The Great Northern, the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincoln, the Great Eastern, and other
lines have since the Tuesday morning been working
at high pressure, but with great regularity and
method, in conveying passengers and horses
engagtd in the races forwards and backwards. On
the day of the sad disaster many thousands of race-
goers had already made their way through the pelt-
ing rain and seas of mud from the station to the race-
course when the rumour flew about that there had
been a railway oollision a mile or two outside the
town. All sorts of stories were current for awhile,
and it was difficult to realise the extent of the catas-
trophe. That there had been a collision was soon put
beyond doubt. People who had been in the trains
came on to the course with braises and cuts to tell
the tale but the general report was that eight were
killed and a large number more or less hurt. Rapidly
upon this came much more accurate news. The deaths
were declared later on in the evening of the accident
to be over 20 in number.

All went well until the Midland Sheffield special
train reached the siding at Hexthorpe, a mile or two
from Doncaster, where it is customary to collect the
tickets of pe-sengers bound for that place. The train
drew up at the narrow platform, and there could have
been no thought of danger as the siding is specially
protected by flag and semaphore signals. To them,
however, who know this particular part of the line the
precautions referred to were fully required, for thS
main line from Liverpool to Hull takes a considerable
curve not far from the Hexthorpe ticket platform,
past which it would rush at a great speed if not
stopped by signal before reaching the turn which
would bring it within sight of the siding. Ticket
collectors were ready at Hexthorpe for the special,
which they attended to immediately on arrival,
and the guards left their brakes to assist in the work
which always attends the stopping and inspection of
a crowded train. Suddenly a loud whistling was
heard which rose high above the bustle on the ticket
platform, and people turned in the direction whence
the noise came. In another instant there was a
horrified shout from the officials and others on the
platform, followed by loud cries from the passengers
and a mad rush to get out of the carriages. The
ordinary Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
Compam's passenger train from Liverpool to Hull
was seen and heard dashing round the curve towards
the Midland special standing right in its way. A
momentary glimpse was obtained of the driver and
stoker of the approaching train frantically pulling
at their levers. Almost immediately afterwards
the inevitable collision took place. The
Liverpool engine struck the end of the
Mi fiend special at a high speed, and with such
a momentum that the collision was terrific. The
woodwork of the solidly-constructed carriages was
smashed and splintered as if the material were nothing
more substantial than that of a packing care, and the
massive ironwork, tires and frames and wheels, was
twisted into many fantastic forms. The screeching
of the escaping steam from the partially-wrecked
engine drowned for a moment the cries of those im-
prisoned by the wreckage and the still more harrow-
ing groans of the many who had received terrible in-
juries. For awhile reason seemed suspended among
officials and escaped passengers alike. But the panic
did not last long, and the work of succour and
rescue was commenced and continued for hours with
method and courage. Only the rear guard's van
and three carriages immediately preceding it had
suffered seriously from the collision. Of these the
van and two of the carriages, one a large composite of
eight compartments, were completely wrecked, and
cries and groans proceeding from the ruins gave
ptVnful evidence that many persons were buried
beneath. Attention was, therefore, first devoted to
these unhappy sufferers. Many uninjured passengers
from both trains joined in the work of rescue, and
within an hour nearly 50 persons were extricated and
placed on the platform and in the nearest available
buildings, where they received attention at the hands
of surgeons and physicians who had flocked to the
spot from the neighbouring towns and villages. The
sights and sounds encountered toy the bands of
workers were enough to appal even a seasoned army
surgeon. Many of the poor creatures were horribly
mangled,
Several of the chief officials of the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway immediately the
accident was reported, rroceeded to Doncaster. At
night the general manager of the company (Mr.
Pollitt) stated the main facts as follows to a corre-
spondent: At a quarter past 12 a Midland excursion
train from Sheffield to Doncaster for the races was
standing at the ticket platform at Hexthorpe, and the
tickets were being collected. The ordinary Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire train which starts
from Liverpool at 8.40 a.m. and is connected at
Peni& one with the 10 o'clock train from Manchester,
running through Barnsley and Doncaster to Hull, came
up and ran in. o the rear of the Midland train. The
boiler of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
engine was raised from the framework and went
partially through the rear Midlind van. All the
carriages of the standing train were very fall of excur-
sionists, but only the people in the last carriage were
killed, though many others are reported injured. The
body of this carriage was very much broken. All the
woodwork was smashed, and the passengers were
thrown into one mass. The framework of the car-
riage was rei,ed up against the preceding carriage at
a sharp angle. Except as regards the engine, the
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire train suf-
fered little. The fireman and driver escaped with little
injury. One of the guards was bruised, but the pas-
sengers suffered little. It was fortunate that every
assistance was immediately at hand, and there was
no loss of time in attending to the unfortunate people
who were hurt. The cause of the disaster was the
driver of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
train running past the danger signal before Hex-
thorpe was reached. The general manager cannot, of
course, say how it was that the fatal mistake was
made. The driver, however, is said to have stated
after the accident that he did not see the signal. The
foremost guard in the train did see it. Under the
regulations of the company there would, the manager
says, he ample room to draw up between the danger
signal and the ticket platform. The driver had been
in the sersice of the company for 20 years, and was
regarded as one of their safest and most experi-
enced men.

THE CORONER'S INQUIRY OPENED.
The inquests in connection with this disaster were
opened on Saturday. There were two—one as to
nineteen persons lying dead at Hexthorpe, and the
other as to four persons who died at the infirmary.
Mr. F. E. Nicholson, the County Coroner, in opening
the former inquiry, said that at present it would only
be necessary to call evidence of identification, with a
view to the burial of the victims. He had received
from the Board of Trade a telegram to the effect that
Major Marindin had been appointed to inquire into the
circumstances of the accident. Mr. William Polar.,
the general manager of the Manchester, Sheffield,
and Lincolnshire Railway, said that on behalf of
the directors of that company he wished to state
bow much they all deplored the terrible accident,
and how deeply they sympathised with the families
of those who had succumbed to their injuries and
with the sufferings of those whose lives had been pre-
served and, he trusted, would yet be spared. They
felt that this was a terrible fatality, and he was sure
the company would give the coroner and the jury
every assistance in their power. Mr. Morgilston,
assistant superintendent, and Mr. Loveday, chief in-
spector of the Midland Railway Company, intimated
that they were present on behalf of that company.
The jury then viewed the bodies, 14 of which had
been identified. The coroner then took evidence as
to identity, and the inquest was adjourned. The in-
quest in the borough was subsequently opened by Mr.
Thomas Atkinson, the Doncaster coroner, and evi-
dence was taken as to the identity of the four bodies
lying at the infirmary.
LIST OF THE DEAD.

The following wae a complete list of the dead so
far as identified up to Sunday night:
Edward Dockerty, 72, Arundel-lane, Sheffield;
Harold Russell, 59, Dorset-street, Sheffield; Fred
Thorpe, 15, Great Charlotte-street, Infirmary-road,
Sheffield; Thomas Bradbury, 55, Randall-street,
Sheffield; Mr. and Mrs. Beaumont, Sheffield; Jane
Hale, 19, Warburton-square, Matilda-street, Sheffield;
Jane Rodgers, wife of George Rodgers; Elizabeth
Middleton, Bramall-lane, Sheffield; Walter Middle-
ton; Mary Alice Fillingham, 139, St. Mary's-road,
Sheffield; Fred Lee, 50, Field Head-road, Sheffield;
W. Hardy, Thorne-hill, Masborough ; James Moxey
Swift, 38, Fitzwilliam-street, Sheffield; Mary Birley,
Sheffield ; Henry White, Sheffield; Frederick and
Mary Callow, Sheffield; Arthur Mitchell, Brightside
Farm, Sheffield, and his wife; William Swift,
Sheffield; Frank Kirkham, Matilda-street, Sheffield;
Henry Barnsley, Crown-street, Wellington, Shrop-
shire; Daniel Hawksworth, 91, Leadmill-road,
Sheffield; George Rodgers, 150, Lanedowne-road,
Sheffield.

TUE QUEEN'S SYMPATHY.
The Queen has telegraphed to the Mayor of
Doncaster (Mr. Henry Wainwright) her condolence
with the bereaved and suffering, and has asked for
particulars as to the condition of the injured.
The bodies upon which inquests were opened on
Saturday were removed to Sheffield during Saturday
night and Sunday morning, the railway company
providing special trains for the purpose. On Sunday
pulpit references were made to the calamity in places
of wor,lip in the town, and the scene of the accident
was visited by thousands of persons.

PERSONAL NARRATIVES.
Mrs. Osborne, who resides at Hexthorpe, was an
eye-witness of the collision. She was in her bed-
room, which overlooks the sidings, where she saw the
excursion drawn up to let the collectors take the
tickets. Suddenly she heard a great crash, and,
looking to the rear of the carriages, saw a powerful
engine ploughing its way into the woodwork.
One conch, the vehicle forming the tail end of the
train, appeared to have been simply wiped out,
and the locomotive had forced its way into the

other, toeing in its thrust the funnel and piercing
the woodwork up to the cylinder. With the
shrieks of affrighted and mutilated passengers
was mingled the hissing of the steam from the
engine, which for the moment cast a veil around that
portion of the wreck. People were calling loudly
" Help, help," and some sought for water. Mrs.
Osborne, taking some requisites for the wounded,
hurried to help the passengers. The sight was suffi-
cient to unnerve the boldest. The end of the engine,
apart of its buffer broken by the impact, had gone
right into one carriage and buried itself half-way up
to the driving wheel. The compartments were
smashed tint° match-wood, and mingled with the
splintered seats and panels were mutilated bodies.
Some had evidently been killed outright others were
embedded in the timber, and had literally to be cut
cut with axes and hammers. A woman and child
dangled beneath the carriage floor—the lady particu-
larly noticed the little red socks of the child. When
the vehicle was pulled to pieces to admit of the
sufferers being extricated the woman and child
dropped through on to the line. Mrs. Osborne saw
a young Sheffield lady hanging out of a carriage
and went to her. She looked very ill
and faint, and her handkerchief was saturated
with blood. Asked if she was very much hurt, she
replied, "Both my legs are broken, and my shoulder
is put out." A gentleman, hearing on the Course of
the accident, hurried to Hexthorpe to search for his
wife and daughter whom he thought to be in the
train. Mrs. Osborne asked him to describe their
dresses, asking him whether the child wore red. The
gentleman said " Yes," and he was then assured the
daughter was alive; but the description he gave of his
wife's dress tallied with that worn by a lady who was
killed. "I could not say anything to him," said Mrs.
Osborne, "for I knew his wife was dead." One poor
fellow Mrs. Osborne noticed squeezed between the
compartments until he looked quite flat; he was
literally pressed to death. In that carriage there
were two men dead, one of whom dropped through on
to the line. One elderly man, who had his thigh
broken, kept pleading to be taken to the infirmary.
Of the sin injured carried to a shed Mrs. Osborne
noticed that every one had his legs broken,
and one his nose shattered. The carriage
seemed to be full of arms and legs, and through
the woodwork could be seen two heads. One man
had his head stuck out through the roof of the car-
riage, altnoi t touching the end of the one next to it.
Be was taken out dead. A child, seated on her
mother's knee, was killed on her lap; another baby,
whose parents are believed to be among the killed,
was found uninjured, and removed to a signalman's
house. Mrs. Osborne noticed, what struck her as
remarkable, that most of the sufferers had their
clothes torn to shreds. One girl had both of her
sleeves torn right from the wrist. She says that when
the bodies were being lifted out, and the injured
removed, rain began to fall pitilessly, and the poor
sufferers seemed to feel the discomfort acutely. The
police took off their coats and wrapped them round the
injured, while the other workers tore up the carriage
blinds to make lint, ripped the stuffing out of the
cushions to pad the splints for the broken arms and
legs, and made stretchers out of the broken doors.
Mr, Frederick Ellis, 43, Sitwell-road, Sheffield,
was a passenger by the ill-fated excursion, haring
missed the earlier train. He went into a carriage in
the middle, and into the central compartment. All
w,nnt right till Hexthorpe was reached. "We
stopped," he says, "to take tickets, and I saw a clerk
on the bank taking down the time of the train. At
his side was a man in railway porter's clothes, with
a flag furled up under his arm. A moment or two
after somebody in the compartment shouted 'Look
there,' and looking out I saw the same man waving
'us flag furiously. It was a red flag. Immediately
after I felt a shock. I was standing up looking
out of the window, and was not thrown down.
I saw the train coming up, but never thought
it would run into ours. When I got out
I saw that the compartments on each side of ours
had been smashed. It was a terrible sight.
One man, disembowelled, lay in the bottom of the
carriage. A. woman was quite as horrible. The
front of her head had been caught and crushed
between the woodwork of the carriage, and the back
towards her neck was burst open and the blood
and matter running out. I believed her brains were
forced down through the back of her head. Then
right on the top, jammed in between the timber, was
a man, pale of face, who had both legs broken. He
never murmured, though it was about an hour before
we got him out." Mr. Ellis says that he saw the
Liverpool train come right up to their train, and he
adds that he heard it said the vacuum brake would
not act, and that the driver consequently could not
pull up his train in time to avoid a collision.
Mr. Thomas Osborne, manufacturer, of Hexthorpe,
was on the scene a few minutes after the accident.
He says the rear bogey carriage of the Midland
excursion train was burrowed into by the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire engine, the funnel being
cut clean away, and the cylinder partly stuck in the
woodwork. One gentleman, well dressed, with opera
glass in his hand got out of a damaged carriage, gave
a ha.ty glance round, wiped his face with his hand-
kerchief, and then vtalked straight away to Don-
caster. In one carriage Mr. Osborne saw two doctors
come upon several people who were jammed
together. The police lifted two of them up and
called for aid; the doctors shook their heads and
covered up the poor fellows' faces. Mr. Osborne,
who is familiar with every inch of the ground, says:
"If the driver did not observe the flag signals he
could not possibly have seen anything of the excursion
train until he got through the bridge, which is about
200 yards from the point where the rear of the excur-
sion train was standing. According to all accounts,
the driver ought to have seen the signals when he got
out of Worinsworth cutting. There is a curve round
to the bridge, and then a straight run to the siding.
One man who was collecting tickets had got to the
rear carriage when the roar of the engine broke on
his ear. One glance, and he cleared the fence into the
field."

Mr. William Roberts, of the firm of Messrs.
Roberts and Simms, silversmiths, went by the Mid-
land train with his wife and son William, aged 13
years. They were in the carriage next to the guard's
brake, and there were 10 persons in the compartment.
At Heithorpe the ticket collector had just been in,
secured the tickets, and shut the door, when there
was a loud crash, and the compartment they were in
seemed "to close up like a book." The passengers
were all thrown together on a heap, with broken wood-
work on the top of them. Several gentlemen got out
first, aid then assiited Mr. Roberts, who was badly
hurt. Mrs. Roberts and her son then got out, and she
says the carriage seemed reared up "like two match-
boxes." Mutilated remains were to be seen around
them. Her baby, which she had also with her, she
kept in her arms all the time, sheltering it from the
falling wood with her arms. The child was_ unin-
jured.
Mr. Henry Redfern, of Totley Brook, Derbyshire,
was severely cut in the face, had the bone of his left
leg split lengthways, and the muscles of his spine
crushed. He was in the bogie composite carriage
next the guard's brake. He states:
Our tickets had just been collected and I put my
head out of the window to see why we were not going
forward. I heard the roar of an approaching train,
and on looking out saw an express coming towards us
on the tame line of rale at a great speed. I exclaimed
to my companions, "My word, that man must have a
tremendously good brake if he means to pull up." I
noticld railway people with red and white flags.
Everything seemed all right that way. I watched the
train as it rounded the curve. The driver never
slackened or whistled. He seemed to take no notice
of us at all. "Look out," I called, "it's upon us!'
One passenger, a young man, leapt clean out of the
window. The doors were locked, and before they could
be unlocked the engine dashed into us. The three of
us were thrown together in a heap. My two companions
being young men, clambered out of the window.
Being an old man I could not go that way, and had
to wait until assistance came. The steam and the
black smoke and the dust caused by the ripped
cushions was blinding. We were afraid the boiler of
the engine would explode, or the fire ignite the com-
partments. One pa.senger urged the stoker of the
Liverpool train to rake out his fire, and he did so.
The scene was terrific. One man hurled to the roof
remained there hanging by his head and arms, his
legs dangling below. Others lay bleeding masses
under the broken woodwork. Having no thought of
peril, I watched the approaching train quite coolly.
My impression is that tbe driver never knew our train
was there until he had all but dashed into us. I
could see his engine glass, but there was no head there
on the look out. Either he did not see us or his brake
failed. Accustomed to drive right down to Doncaster,
I think he must for the moment have forgotten all
about the race week and the special signalling
adopted for the traffic. The compartments on both
sides of mine crashed up like cards.