The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-09-03 00:00:00

THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY ACCIDENT:

The follow sre some of the particulars of this

deplorable
The Brighloit Herald says :—Having proceeded to
the spot, .id been furnished by the railway anthoritin
with every obtainable information, we will proceed to
deacribe the nature and mese of this wont
event.

I We may state. at 'tartlet. that Clayton Tunnel, the
I wing of the ea:blest, is tiw second tunnel on the main
line oat of Brightest, and the longest on the Use. It
is about five mites trout Brighton.
The first train to leave the Brighton station fop
Loudon on Sunday morning was the smearsimi train
from Portsmouth. elms* this* for leaving Brighton
a quarter to eight o'clock. It left soon after that, anti
in due course arrived at and entered the Clayton
Tunnel. Very shortly after the Portemouth train had
left Brighton, it was followed by the regular Brighton
train to London, whose hour for starting is half-peat
eight, On this train approaching the tunnel Hie !
signalman at the mouth of it says that be looked 1
behind and ,air, to his horror, that the signal (width
ought to hare intimated to the Brighton train that the '
Puilamosath train was in the tunnel) had not worked.
Ito therefore immediately exhibited • red, or damps I
Bag at the mouth of the tunnel; and the drives j
of the Brighton train, on seeing this, immediately on
versed his engine, ind did all be could to stop it: He
did not, however, seamed in doing so until he had
proceeded • considerable distance up the tunnel. Atte]
he had brought it a stand-still, he revenged his engin.
and eanse slowly back to the tunnel, his object and
duty being to wait at the southern end of the tunnel
until the signal annowieed that it was clear. In • shot'
time the Portsmouth exrureion train had got througl
safely, and this lact,and the/hot thetthe tunnel waselear
wooeigu•lled to the driver of the Brighton train, who. is,
the ordinary course .4 things, would have immediately
proceeded through the tunnel. But, most unfortunately.
in the meantime the second excursion train frost,
Brig:ton, whiah follows close upon the first, rams up.
The signalinon at the tunnel called out to hie mate to
know if the train—meaning the first Brighton train—
had got through, and the reply was that the
telegraph at the other end of the tunnel hot
signalled back to my that the train had plowed tbrough.
the fact bAng that this telegraph referred to the Ports-
mouth esourston, and not the lint Brighton. Tile
signalman, therefore, on the second Brighton train
coming up, showed • white or safety Gag, and the
driver of it proceeded at fu/1 speed into the tuanel..
It had not gone above 300 yards before there was a tre
mendous shock. It had run into the first Brighton train,
which, in tact, was at the time slowly hacking out of the
tunnel. The con-clummes were awful. The engine ot
the second Brighton train ran right over the last ear.
ries.* of the firat Brighton train, and then, falling epee
them, literally crushed the unfortunate passengers; los
it to happened that to thit train the usual precaution
had not been taken of leaving the last carriage empty Of
of haying a van or truck. The Isat carriage, therefore.
was fell of passengers, and the engine fell upon them,
and, as we have said, crushed them, and the horrors cal
the seen, that ensued or not to be described or pen-
mimed The tunnel enemas,' dark In • knarrantt it
was blocked up with a horrible mem, in which were
mingled dead and dying men, women, and children,
buried beiseath and ainidot heaps of broken carriagee,
with the engine and tender crowpine and pressing down
the whole. To add to the sufferings, of the unfortunates.
the steam and boiling water descended in showers mem
them, scalding those whose bodies were at all exposed.
The feelings of those who first entered the tunnel were
harrowed to the last degree. There were the 'creme.
of women, the groans of the wounded, and the cries of
poor little children. Of these latter, and see of the
ern to be extricated, it was found that both its leg,
bad been broken, and that it had been bully scalded.
A pauseutter in the front part of the Ant Brighton
train describes hir experience in this way. He says:
"We had got a considerable dishiness into the tunnel
when the train gradually stopped, as if it had come to
a station. Our impresaion was, but of course we knew
nothing about it, that the engine had broken down from
its strength being over-tasked, or that the coupling
chains had broken, and it had become detached from
the carrismeg. This did sot occasion us any partimilar
alarm; the feeling was rather one of annoyance. But
we bad not been in the darkness of the tunnel more
than a few minutest whets we heard • whistle all of
another train teProachion, and before we had time to
think of the consequences, Were was • shock and a
smash. It was ivatentaneous. I was knocked forward
against the man opposite me, but not at. violently as to
moue either of us any injury. But then, you see, we
were in the fore part of the train, about a dozen car-
riages from the engine; and I dare say the train was
nearly thirty meringue long.
' scene that followed I have no power to describe
to you. The yells and shrieks of the people were
awful—not only of them who were injured but the rest
of the passengers of the two trains, whose alarm,
increased by the darkness, was intense. People were
distracted with terror. We had not many injeriel
beyond mere contusions in our carriage; but people
yelled, and shrieked, and put up m
prayers, believing
that they should Dever see daylight ore. Their fears
lucre sod the sense/ horror the situation. They
imagiued every moment that other trains either
on the up or down lines, would run into them, and
reader their doom gertele. For some ten minister we
resualmid in darkness; thee lights were hang op
simian the sides of the thenal„ aed the mem that re-
vealed keel( was terrific. There, in the background. I
could 'find] Perceive a hew of carriages wore or lees is
fragments, which *seined to have been piled one !Iwo
the other. From among adorns's, and around (tin all
directions, you could distingebsh people lying, sitting,
or running to and fro, shrieking and greaten,. I never
witnessed arch a scene in soy life. I meta in God sever
to do to sofa. We were detained in this tunnel
an hoar and ten inianks before any of oar train meld
be gut Wit IWO &bent View of oar vintages got out.
taking with them a number a the slightly roanded.
It stopped at ilasecieu'reste, where tba wounded were
taken out, and the whole plotforui was covered with
them. Some were severely hurt. I saw a lady ono
little girl, mother end daughter I believe, and they
had mussed the baby; hat the mother was too much
hurl to do more than to put her hands together as if
praying for it. I was told that Hes Swayarand, of the
North-ain't Quedrant, bed broken her leg. Many of
the psageogers were ealetdigistly hart--they ware Ittl,
or ounnueed. or weevil shako. Messy of tbe seue
wingers coutinued their journey to Landau; but I re-
turned out of consideration for the feelings of my
friends at Brighton, who would naturally be in a great
state of alarm and of uncertainty as to my fate."

bcpursT (!F Tn.s:BoDin.

_
Twenty•two of the Make of the pooongers who met
their death in seek a shocking owner on Sueday
morning at Clayton Juution, on the London and
Brighton Railway, were Identilled ou Monday. They
were lying, in every fearful vani. ty, in the rudingroeui
of the BriOton railway officials. In the afternoon
Mr. David Mack.,tb• borough ourour,beid an Unimak on
the bodies. Mr. Faithfuil„ solicitor to the company,
attended on their behalf. Mr. Starkey summed for Mr.
Iggialew ; Mr. Reed for Mr. Mann ; whits Mr.
Conynghem, M.P., one of the director., and Mr Scott,
deputy chairman of the company, were also present.
The proasedings exalted much Intermit.
The first witness wes William Lower, who said
I am • brkklayer, and live at Brighton. The '
deemed woman I have seen was my wile, end she
was forty-saves or fortreight years aid. I was
sitting next to my wile with my two boys in the sound
carnage from the end. It was twenty-dr, minutes to
nine exactly when We left Bin, mid I remarked to
my wife that we were twenty minutes let by the clock 1
at the station. II wet an excursion train. I was
Ping to Ctultham ; my two boys were sang to mop in
London. j ens sitting with ncerheface to the engine on
the richt hand side of the one a my boys
were matting on my right head, ner me, and the other
by my mac There were nine people in that nonmust.
moot with me. I was sitting la the Lod division a the
(wrier. I said I thougAt it a very grind lipase that
we wens so Imo. We ffid not stop anywhere till we
came to the tunnel. I did not look out at the window
to notice the signal-man at the tanneL I /droned
that the train &Aimed It. speed jut before it
got to the month of the tunnel, perhaps about fifty
yards. It went about 200 or SOO yards up the tunnel
before we spail. The Ant thing that apprised me
al the lie.at wu my boy looking out, and be
mid ha yew • Irvin sowing, and immediately there was
a rioneusion ; and I knew nothing MOM until I found
myself scrambling over the mills- The carriage I was
in w•s smoffied all to atom; from the beak. I bad •
broken shin. I could not we anything, as it was dark,
but when lights came I found myself on the lop of ibe
ruins. My wife was covered by the ruins and quite deed
when I found her,. The engine was standing up a re-
test from me, and appeared to me to have jumped epos
the swims I sew • soma jump on to the engine and
let the deem aff. I ;indium afraid it would beret. My
two bays wpm karts and alee at than came to me end
I showed him his poor mother. I helped bini este him
Mae. mad Ails I, burin& swAy,:aad
Iwo-ulna Oil OM tig4tl Taw& Xi

was shoot six feet from the ground on U. rulea. and
the carriage seemed to have been forced upon its side,
and v" 'Waning against the engine, which seemed to
have forced its way under the carriage ss it were. No
cone can describe alua scene in the tunnel—it was sot. r
fut. There were only two carriages smashed. I caw
the other train as I moue beak oot of the tunnel, but I
do not know what Injury was does to the engine. At the
time of the oolli•ion the train was going backwards
very slowly. I saw meetsl of the pasiengers. who were
lead or dying. during the half hour I was there.
[did not know there was a train behind, nor did I hear
the screech of any engine. I knew we did not start at
Lite proper time.--Beveral witnesses deposed to the
identification of the bodies lying at the station, and it
vas then agreed to adjourn the proceedings till Widow.-
law, that the jury in the meantime • might view the
scene of disaater.

The jury having viewed the scene of the disaster,
qui ingLiiry we. maws& and continued fn.ni day to
ICY. We give the most iniportant points in the evi•
Jews. _

John Chester Craven said lam loeonitehiee and
arriage superintendent as the L 011,1012 and Brighton
Railway. I 1.111 acquainted • ith the gradient' to and
through the Clayton tunnel. The rim to the tunnel
is thirty-eve yards in eve miles. which I consider a
very easy rise. The gradient then descends lin 227 foi
lime quarters of • mile. It is • fail all through the
iunnel. A train, therefore, which had no dificisity in
oroceeding to the tunnel. would hare nom passing
through. It is a streit line for • mile and • li.Jf, and
,he tunnel itself is nearly strait. 'Die train puts on tb•
distance signal, which ia 300 yards frost the stintal-mae.
with tbe Magee( the wheel. Meetings workshy a lever
which reverses the signal and thus puts it on. Should
• train fail to put on the signal, the signal-man lISS
lower to put lion.
Charles Legg wag next sworn. he said: I am station-
master and superintendent at Brighton. I took the
nine of the starting of the three Mama The one from
Portsmouth left at 8.22; the Brighton emeernion at
8.27; and the Brighton ordinary at 8.36. Mr watch
eorre.lionded with the railway dock. and I know it
wag right. There was no delay after they started that
I am aware of. There were sixteen carriage. in the
Portsmouth exemakes, seventeen on the &Won
excursion, and eleven or twelve en the ordinsry ; but
of this I ant not quite certain. In the Brighton
seclusion the engine was find, then • break, and •
break van at the end. With regard to the break at
the end I am not quite certain whether there were
neseengers in it or sot. I saw the guard is it; that
I am wire of. I Ipok. st the books from time to thus
in which the maards eater the times from their own
,ilemoranda. Machines was the driver of the L'orts-
mouth train; Mears and Drew, thegnards. Redman
vas put on at Brighton, and the others mete front
Portsmouth. John Scott was the driver of the excur-
sion train, and Coleman and Stitcher were the guards.
;rwry 'roe driver of the ordinary. sad Boycott and
Webbmere the guards. The Poetinnouth train, which
left at 8.22, ought to have Wt at 8.5. sad the came of
the delay was the train belies late up from Portsmouth.
It was seventeen mint* late. Tb. Brighton should
have left at &Ili instead at 11.27, being twelve sainetas
'ate. The drivers are not reprimanded for s= late.
The third train started 9 Mantes after the
Henry /DMA : I am signalman at the south end of
'I.. Chaim% Tunnel. end have held that pedtion sines
teptember, lON. I was there on Sunday naming.
There are two signalmen at the south md —myself and
Charlie Dewey. Our duty is divided—me goes on at
'sight. and the olier in the day time. except on Sonde,.
when one of an goes on in the morning, and remains OD
'ill Monday morning, for the purpose of tusking the
-hangs. I saw the OM train mane round the serve
•dient three-rmarters of • mils off. Ido not know the
else time it came. I did not work the signal. The
signiti stood at "All right." after the kola had pawed.
as Whist done before the train mom un. The bell did 1
ma ring, nor the signal act whet the train pissed. !
When I found the signal woad yid wott. f Med to put
it on. I tried a good deal, het I mad not seemed until
(ter the driver of the next train had peered the distance
iipal. That waa About 900 yard. from me. I tun got
-int the red fifty and showed it to him. He then shut off
his "team. When the Portsmouth train entered the
*tinsel I telegraphed to the man at the other end "train
n," and jut as the second train was esterian the
inaned the answer came bark "train oat." After the
werind train bad been in the tunnel some little dine, I
isked niy mate if she was out, and he returned "train ,
mt." I then, as quirk as lightning, gave Min "train in." I
and the second train was in the tunnel 4 or 5 minutes
4efore he sure me " train out." I then went out with
the white lag, to the train coming round the sure.
.hree-cpurters of a mile off The white flag denotes •' all
right." Shortly after the lest train got in the tunnel. I
fiend a ed.'. and I thought a holler but burst. I gay,
the man at the other end by telegraph, "line Meekest."
never left my post. The permit signal has Mien in
use between four awl lee pram; we have never had
my other. It has before perhaps seven or
sight times. After the Portsmouth train palmed, ending
the engine did not work the signal. I tried to turn it on
myself, bntl could not. I became agitated, *wine the
.then train coining, and " I was so put out," that I
'mild not get it on. I don't know how it wax the signal
could not work i pedlar, I did not do lii. the proper
war, as I was agitated. There is only one indruiment
and one needle In my hut.
By a Juror: Why did you show the danger lag to
she Brighten excareino I—Becemie the &Ames signal
did not act. If the signal had acted taller the lird
train had neesed, the Heighten tummies wont/. hare
4opped before thee got to me, awl I shoed then have
been watching the instrument to see that the lest train
was Out, and the excursion train wont., have remained
where it was till I received the mu ser that the int
was out. I should not have allowed it to enter the
tunnel till I had received this answer. If the distance
bad wad after the mumion train hut come
slowly by, it would have shown danger to the next
train, and the third ordinary train would have stopped
the Brighton aide of the distance signal, and waited
there till the Brighten excursion was telegraphed to me
as "main cut." On receiving the iLessage "train out"
I should have sent fnrward the Brighton excunion and
-be third train would have drawn inside the distance
dgnal, and would have shown desire to any following
train. I aliould not have allowed that train to go in
till I hod received • meanies that the ezenrsinst train
was out. No accident could hare happened if thea
arrangements had been attsaded to. If the distance
signal did not act I hare no other way of showing
danger but by showing the red dn.
By Mn. Roman : I bad not been on duty on Saturday
night. I had the whole night's red. I had been
twelve hours on duty on Saturday. Is the ordinary
coarse of things I should have remained on till Monday
moniing at eight o'clock—twenty-four hours without
assistant*. My mate lives within tall. There had
been no train down on the Sunday morning when the
maidens occurred. We are obliged to be on the look.
oat the whole of the time we am on duty, as wo do
not know when the treins will come. lite day's work
is • hard one. We are always glad when it is over.
The first down train was about dim when the Ports-
mouth train passed up. If that train had passed at the
time the others were going up I should have had
additional duty. An crannies train from London is
itener•lly thlowsh the tunnel twenty whittles or half
an hoar before the other. We never have any notice
of the trains coining, but we have time books of the
regular trains. I aes three-quarters of • mile &MO
the Bac I cannot tell at what *peed the first train was
coming along; it resiwwl to me to be travelling at its
oriinary pace The excursion train appearinf lobe
coming rather faster than the fret, end the third
slower than the second. The different drivers may not
have known how far they were from each other. I
don't think that mon then two minutes end • half
passed from the arrival tithe Portsmouth train to the
•rriyal of the excerdon train. The third train was
gloat friar or Sve Mantes behind that. They were
riving a full average speed. I showed my red lag from
the box. It is about tan or twelve feet from the
ground. I showed the white lag at Ist from the
hex, bet afterwards ran a little way into the tunnel.
I had not then seen the third train. The distance
signal was "danger" when the third train mine in
sight. I changed it to all right when I thought the
almond train was oat. 'The second train would not
have shut off shuns if the driver had not Ban my red
ig. I think the second train omit have got very
nearly half way throngh the tunnel before she hacked.
f don't know whether she beaked except from what I
have heard.

Jamas Brown, the signal-man at the north-end of
Clayton tunnel, was then galled. He said: I Dave been
aignal-men at the Clayton tunnel nearly eight ream I
was on duty on Suiplar morning at eight o'clock. I
received the signal from the south end. "train in" on
lb h warning. It was the first signal I received, hut I
don't know what time it was. I cannot tell how long
the train was before the train came cut, but the time
hr my clock WWI 8.45 exactly. It did not appear to me
lie he lamer in the tense:than it ought 60 he. Directly
it muse out I sent • message hook, "Train tont." That
was aehnowledged. In about • missal/ I received the
signal "train in" for tbe mogul train. It is not
nominally quick. I acknowledged the receipt of that
signal in about half a minute. I then looked for that
train coming out. It did not come out. I waiter,
about four or five minutes and in the box two minute.
more. After waiting two inintttep in my box I received
• telegraphic meallags at 8.112. The memoirs was that
the trail was not out. I answered "Tea." supposing
he meant the first train. His answer was "No." The
trains then ran into each other. I did not hear it,
but I knew it by the time.

The Coroner: Do you mean that the message was
that they Lad run into each other?--Yis.
When was this imusage ?—All at one time. I have
koown the distance signal for the down train to fail to
act, but not very often. I think I hay.- known it to do
an two or three times within two or three years. I
have then not been able to turn it by toy wheel. When
that is the ease we use • red e.g said a semaphore
signal which is at the tunnel. and send word to the
stationmaater at Hasterik's Gate. Ido not remember
the last occasion on which I reported nay distance
signal. The telegraph ei,psal has got out of order, and
we than signal by time.
The Coroner: Do you mean that TOM goes at the
Waif—We have the tires on our bills, but we lo Dot
co exactly by that. We go by our OTrD iIOITIMOST
Aeoording to my lodgment seven minutes elapsed front
the Portsmouth train corning out of the tunnel to the
time I received • menage that there was a collision.
Af..er the amend mamma ' train In." I received • me*
sage " train is not out." I bad bad two menages of
"train in" and only one out. I thought it meant to
ask if the Ara train was out. It is not the usual way
of asking. I had not forgotten two trains bad been
signalled "to."

-James Hickman: I live at 21, Kingaburreoed. I
elll an 00011•-driver, in the •Korle, of ths Loodon,
Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company. I
drove the Portsmouth incursion engine on Sunday
morning hurl I have been in the oompany's service
ten Teen. Heft the Brighton station at 8.28 by my
wen, which was right by the clock at the station on
the platform. There Iwo IS earrisiss. but I cennot
describe them further than that there was a break van
men to the lender. When we approached the tlayten
Tunnel, after paining the distance signal. I did not loot
beak to see if it worked. I hod passe, and looked
forward. I did not think it my duty to lsok back.
' We always looked out ahead: The distance signal was
ill Tight Uwe approached. I don't know 'tacitly
what time ft was when we mitered Chiron Tunnel.
*MA me **Ad Am %reel in abet Om Iniolliff.
I rot with sbutweellieseetho.wa7. Igetsplnsl
itatilbs *sal ma Wait potb; • ilb• Wwrigit
=:11t =taiga*. littgli2bi

parsing over the line. If on entering the Clayton '
Tunnel I had men the signalman wave a red flag anot I
had paned the diseases stoat which had stood at "all
ri At,' I should have stowed as soon es I amid,
whether in the tunnel or not.
James Soo*: I am an engins-Ariveg in the service el
the Leedom and Brighton Cowpony, and on Busilog
morning drove the Brighton excursion up. / ham
hese in Ehe evenpay'a armies nine yeses. I noeierd
the tints I started from Brighton ; *was / teak
that time by my watch. whiob agrees with the clock in
the yard near the Mona. There wen seventeen
carriages, hut I did not tales notice of the breaks. I
,hould think it was abrent tea Edema to nice whom;
we got to the Clayton Tetanal. When I a
the diatanes signal I PPM it woe all right, and j 4,1
we were going into the anal hi gays his red gag, '
immediately shut a the steam. I should think r had
got ahont 250 gals into the tanned before I sesseaded
In stopping the train. I revereed the opera and eret
the bask on to doe as oak*" Ponintim- 18 remain',
the entries the train might beet twenty,* thirty yank,
het I did not hack the engine at off We were east
going back when the aolJanet took pines; we were
Mewling *ill, and had hese for :that two minutes. I
had not time to send the guard hack. I did net sa
anything of the other train Wahl' tin "he hit her."
The ante:ion knocked me into the tender, but did ted
hurt ma uinoh. I got ap set watt back. and sew
broken carriages and people lying hurt. The engh.te
was standing nearly 'fright, resting warty on the fir
of one of the carriages. I has never Inoked hook to
aft whether the (dram* signal at Claytoe has not
acted when we have gone over it. I sousider 111 "die
dear, by all mama to stop as soon .54 intlallhie liner
1... the red dad, even if 'bowls at the mouth of a
tunnel. I Data not see the signal men if he same to
the month of the tunnel with the whits flag, av it seep
very dark, sod the steam Ailed the tnneal.
William Gregory, the driver of the third trek% seAs
da I approached the Clayton teasel I was on the bet
Out for the distance signal, which was" all MIK" We
wen going, I think, at the rate of about twealle•ffne
miles an hour when we nand it. I eadd not sea time
red lights till I was about fifty yards (vs. these, /Mat
w m the Ira means by whisk I babas aware of the
train being Won me in the tunnel. Dirsedlygter
the light I shut off steam and reversed my
e
Wy lireman pus at the brisk, and I whistled for the
snarl ado the sante. I kept on ths whistle tffl I
struck the carriages. My spend was not mush
diminished before wo stag& When we *rook the
train the engine knocked the last break carriage inter
time down lino, and teonsetod the neat sarrieney which
was a third clam. I got aAs engine ash theirweet
to work to get the ire out to prevent the ‘ehigase
going uer.
tains immoralist dimmed= look piece hetweet the
vomiter and the ampany's solaitor, relative ha the
production of important written statmossis in their
peressioa, which he, on their behalf, declined to
rye up.