The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-23 00:00:00

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THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE MIDLAND
RAILWAY.-ADJOURNED INQUEST.

CHESTERFIELD, THURSDAY Moiecnto.—ln answer
as inquiries this morning we learn that all the suffering
paseestgers on whose account there was the greatest reason
to ag,prehand danger an now pngressnog favourably. Mr.
sad Wm Tennant are still at lC ; and 3dessrs. John
and Joshua Todhuntcr and the Rex. Mr. Heather continue
at Chestetileld.

Tbs coroner's inquest was re-opened, at the Multidinl-
hall, this morning, at 11 o'clock. Mr. Macauley, solicitor ;
Sir Isaac Morley, director; Mr. Saunders, traffic manager;
and others were again in attendance on behalf of the Mid-
land Company. Mr. Preteon, solicitor, attended for the
friends of the late Mr. Blake ; and Mr. Waller appeared on
the part of the relatives of the other deceased passenger,
Mr. Meynell. Mr. Turner, of Sheffield, appeared to watch
the pmesediaga oa behalf of John Thompson, the guard of
the apron trains the might of the accident. Lieutenant
peeleatDeasthe Dablek the gethetheat inspector of railways, was
she
Jets Itheithm—ll me ea der, in the employ of
the Mtalesill Ceatpesy. Monday night I was the
driver of the train whisk should leave Derby at 9.5 pm.
The mime was ka potent good working order. We did not
start till 0.10, Mesa minutes after time. We stopped at
DrillaK Wiper, mate, and Wtheleld statioas. The
train Aso MR Ordimily stop at Vidlitad or Wingfield.
Ws 'tapped there this night to est dews passengers. With
our
the Via of them two
*tibia extra theggages, we travell
ofed st
thud un ty-dr "ftrty yards the
Clay statism I than Math • Math of some part of
the maelimery et lie ea&e, and tamed my head over the
hand-nil amid ailed teas drama to pat the break on, as
there was somathiag wrong. He did so, and we ran some-
thing like 200 yards before we ease to a stand. Before the
train came to a stead, the guard put his head out of the
break and said, " What's up ?" I don't exactly know
what answer I gave. As soon as the engine stopped
I gut down and examined the wheel, and tire,
and, finding them right, I turned my head to the
driving wheel of the engine, and found the pump rod aas
broken, and the pump was broken down ? The guard came
to me immediately. He said how long are we going to stop
—shall I have to go back ?" I said, " Yes ; but we shan't
be many minutes." He immediately left me, and I did not
see anything more of hint till after too accident. We took
the proper steps for repairing the engine with tools we have
for the purpose. It did not take us more than four or five
minutes. After collecting the tools together, I called out
" Right." My mate (the fireman) turned round, and was
slackening the break, when he called out, " Jack, there's
something coming into us." I was then getting on the en-
gine. I said to him, " (So on, go on, as quick as possible."
I had no sooner got upon the engine than I was knocked
down into the tender. The train was put into as quick
motion as the time would allow of. It had only proceeded
eight or ten yards when the other train ran into us.
By the Jury-1 knew that the goods train was to fillow
us. The time lost between the break-doss n and starting
again was about seven minutes. I did not hear the whi.tle
of the goods train or hear it coming. I was busy with the
engine.
By Mr. Waller—l have been six years in the service of
the company, and hare been four years a driver. I was
upon the engine half an hour before I started, and did not
leave it. There were five carriages in our train. I knew I
had to make two extra stoppages, and that there war a
goods train coming behind us. I don't know that we
ought to have had a van at the tail of the train. The
stoppages at the stations average generally about three
minutes._

Then the stoppages occupied ten minutes, and the goods
train would start five minutes after you ?—Yes.
The witness continued—The guard remained with us at
the engine two minutes. I did not acquaint the passengers
with what was wrong. It was only a few wands after I
said " Right" that my mate said there was something run-
ning into us. I could not have got the train out of the way
in those few seconds, the other came so quick upon us. My
mate was driven on to the foot-board. 1 cannot say what
caused the breaking of the rod.
By Mr. loretson—l don't know the reason of the delay at
Derby. We usually stop at Driffield and Wingfield when
there are passengers for those places. The time tables do
not show that that train should stop at those stations.
The witness continued. I had some detonating sitnals
in my box, but am not aware whether the guard hadany.
Neither me nor my mate blew the whistle of the engine.
Did not know, when I said " all right," whether the guard
had returned to the train or not. It was not my duty to
see whether the guard was upon the train. foupposed
that the guard had gone back 800 yards with his hand
lamps. He has to go 800 yards back, unless I recall hint.
Did you recall him
I don't know, exactly whether I did. I could not have
rawillal him, unless be laird me my "all right." I only
rilfild *Mao may mac It eat adabar owner hear
me, I signal him with they le. Judging from the thick-
ness sad darkness of the ht, the guard could not hear or
see me. There was not an under-guard to the train I
was not hurt. This is the first accident I have had.
By the jury—We were 24 minutes behind time at Clay
Cross. We have no watch on the engine. We calculate
our time by the speed. Thirty miles au hour is our usual
speed, except with express trains. I have driven this par-
ticular engine eleven or twelve weeks. She had not been
in the repairing shop in that time.
George Carter—l was fireman to Sheldon on Monday
night. I was slackening the break when I saw something
coming upon its, and told Sheldon. Be said " Right ;go
on ; put the steam on." Ile was just climbing up the en-
gine when tae train was in motion, and the goods train im-
mediately ran into us. From the time we stopped to the
time we moved again, there was not a greater delay than
lave minutes.

By Mr. Wailer—We went at the some speed till we got
to Cloy Cross station, when the steam was shut off in conse-
quence of the rod breaking. I don't think Sheldon could
have stopped the train sooner. It was net my duty to exa-
mine the engine except in case of necessity.
Mr. Fretson proposed to ask this witness it the guard had
made any statement to him as to what he did on that night,
contending for his right to do so on the ground that the
evidence already pointed at negligence on the part of the
par.
Thed question was again objected to, and eventually was
not pressed.
The witness continued, in examination by Mr. Fretion.—
There is a lofty signal-post, with a lighted lamp to it, at the
Clay Cross station. If the danger-signal was hoisted itcould
be seen from a train coming from Derby in tim. to stop—it
is there for that purpose.
Sheldon was here recalled—lf I had seen the signal at
Clay Cora I think I should have had time to stop the train.
If the guard had got to the signal post and turned it as the
goods train canoe up I don't think he could possibly have
stopped it running into us. Ile could not hare got there in
time to prevent it. The guard would not have time after
he left me to have gone more than 160 yards.
- - - •

Wm Ifansfeldt "-nil* Esq., of liiimington-hall, near
Chmesslield—l was a passenger by the train on Monday
night from Ambergate. The train was overdue, but I ean-
ast my the precise time. I was in the second-class car-
eless. There were three passengers within the adjoining
cnagiartment. The train made one or two stoppages which
were not in the time table. On arriving at the Chesterfield
Me of the Clay Cress tunnel I discovered the speed was
elasitimed. On the train stopping I looked out
towards the engine, and observed some officials
foetid the mil% consequently did not take much
notice. About UM minutes after the stoppage
the inini ems pet our carriage. I should think it
Wel hews iskaa his nearly a minute to have come from
she engine te where I was. At the time the guard passed
murk as he bed kis tin his head. In • few seconds
after the guard me I heard some ens cry out that
• ink was I also hoard same one, as I thought
trim the engine, net "all right." That was answered
by soma me at the ether end at the train, " There's a
train einehig—move m." Mr train was immediately put
in motion. At the lime it moved I looked out and saw 1
the refisielem of la Nem an coming rapidly down. It !
was ten de* tor me to see the engine on the train. I
heard damn' MIR wylng out to " put on speed," or en-
pronisne lia that AIM. I found the engine was not get-
tin up onfilisst speed to prevent a serious collisiona
*MOM I krmitid sett of the carriage. Immediately
OR I lIIMIrId- IN the train I was struck down by some-
thing, het did not then know what it was. I rolled
dawn us mabenimmt, and as I haey jumped up Mune- 1
disedy and hued them inntisman lying by my side.
Ths MOM md rob Data were wpm the ground where the
pmenger train bed stood. I west on to these three per-
sons and straightened their late seeing they were much
hart. I went round to the opposite side, when I found
the carriages ad smashed, and lying one upon mother. I
then saw the guard, and asked him if the mason train was
not then due. 1 did not get an answer from him. I was
still afraid of the mail train coming up. I saw a signal
light lower down the line, and went to it, and turned on
the red signal, but found I could not ware it in its proper
plam. Finding that the case, I went and called a gate-
keeper up. I have travelled with that train I should say
140 times, and not in a single instance has that arrived at ;
the Chesterfield station at its proper time ; and I scarcely
remember en instance when it has not stopped at stations
net noted in the time table. The guard could not have
pee more than forty or fifty yards before the goods train
came up.
By Yr. Fretson—l did not notice whether the guard;
stopped at the end of the train or proceeded forward. It ,
win from the beck of the train that I heard the vein urging
I do not think there is my blame to be attached to
Volicials belong u
belonging to the passenger train. I believe
they did their duty_;
t I won't say so much for them en-
gaged an the luggage train. Rather I should my I had no
miens of judging whether the officials of the luggage train
did their duty or no. lam sorry I used the previous ex-
plosion. I think the driver of the goods train was trying
the utmost to stop his train. I hod ea idea, from the driver
of the goods train putting off his steam, and the driver of
the premier train patting on his, War a 001iiticat might
have Ina avoided.