The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-07 00:00:00

,44113.]

ter, and I was upon her in the afternoon. She had
run one or two trains from Birkenhead to Chester that
day. About half an hour before "The Druid" went out
from Chester I was upon her. She had bees detached
to assist another train out of Chester towards Manchester.
She had gone to the top of the bank, • mile and ahal f, and then
returned. I am not able to say what supply of water she had
before leaving, but she had a supply ten minutes orilmme-
diately before leaving. She was in perfect working wadi-
lion. She is not one of the oldest of the engines, antis
one of those most capable of conveying a heavy load. I
saw the train to which she was attached leave Chester.
'there were siateen or seventeen carriages attached. I con-
sidered her fully equal to such a train. 1 was there in mr
official capacity as locomotive superintendent. I saw Nu. II
that day, but had not inspectea it formally for a fortnight.
I saw her and was at work upon her that same Wednery,
when she was assisting another train out of Chester. I ant
'unshed she was in perfect working order. The train to
which the Druid was attached had another locomotive at-
tached for the first mile and a half, in consequence of •
heavy gradient on the Cheshire Junction. Thu same was
done with all the other three trains on Wednesday, but nut
on ordinary occasions. I are well acquainted with the
Cheshire Junction line, and have been over it. I
know the Sutton tunnel. It is about 13 miles from Chester.
Supposing the Druid to have had a proper supply of water,
she ought to have travelled to Warrington under ordinary
circumstances; but in this ease she is said to have slipped
very much between Frudsham and the tunnel ; the water
was evaporated, and very little progress was made. I con-
sider that would account for the supp:y of water being ex-
hausted sooner than otherwise it would have been. The
slipping of the wheels of an engine could nut be accounted
for by • want of power, but nught arise from the greasy
state of the rails, which might be caused by a shower of
rain—nut unctuously greasy, but from a little rain, without
Icing thoroughly wet. The fact of the clipping of the
wheels of the Druid would arise from insufficient weight in
the engine as compared with the weight of the truiu to cause
them to adhere or to bite the rails. It was part of my duty

on Wednesday to see if the earriuues et the tersnints
were in proper order, but not to superintend the de-
parture of the trains; that devolved on the superintendent
of the station.

By the Foreman—Four engines ordinarily do the work
from Chester to Manchester, with carriages; on Wednes-
day last there were 6 engines and a pilot, and 150 carriages,
On Wednesday morning 1 brought the first train of 33
carriage. from Warrington to Chester, with two engine*,
one la•:ure and one behind. Ido not consider it unsafe to
have an engine behind at so slow a pare as 20 miles an
hour. I cannot say how long on engine will last; we
have engines 11 years old sluing their work as well as
engines 3 months old. The gradient from Chester to
llisole is 1 in 100, that in the tunnel, 1 think, at the
Sutton end, is one in 261 towards Warrington, and ex-
tends threw-fourths through the tunnel, or seven-eighths
of a mile. It commences half a mile before the

;and. 1 am quite certain there were not more
than sixteen or seventeen carriages to the Druid engine,
but some of them having doors in the middle, recessed,
would each have the appearance of two carriage,. The
wheels of an engine would be more likely to slip with a
heavy than a light loud, but it is not the load which origi-
nate+ the slipping. The trains on this occasion were heavier
than usual, but I specially determined to adapt the loads to
the power of the engine. Though we had power to de-
spatch trains as fast as tilled, it wax a discretionary power,
and though we had four ready at once, we purposely kept
them from twenty to twenty-five minutes apart in starting.
By Captain Latfan—The weight of a first-clan carriage
empty will be four tins, and say five tons seven cwt. with
passengers. Of *second-class carriage, three to three-and-
a-half tons, and with 36 passengers, say 5 tons 14 cwt. to 6
tons 4 cwt. The weight of a third-elaas open carriage, 3
tuna and 60 passengers, 4 tons II) cwt., or 71 tons total.
By the Foreman—There were 14 or 15 carriages to the
engine No. 17.
By Mr. Monk, counsel for the board of directors—lt was
not true that one of these trains was assisted by an extra
engine to Frmloham. 1 know the engines on the Chester
and Holyhead line. The Druid has an advantage not in
weight over those, but in tractive power, having smaller
wheels. Ours are about the same weight. The express
trains on the London and North Western line run their en-
gines 50 miles, but the engines are more powerful and the
tenders of greater capacity. The steam of engines is
wasted by slipping, and more water might be used in going
to the top of the tunnel from this cause, on Wednesday last
than would have carried thu train to Warrington.
Ite-examiued by the foreman—There is usually a truck
or luggage van at the end of a train; it is placed there fur
the safety of the passengers. I believe there was no such
van placed at the end of the trains on Wednesday, but it
is not customary to send them with special trip trains.
By the Jury—The Druid is said to have slipped, No. 17
not to have slipped, but the Albert again did slip. The
reason might he that No. 17, being a new engine, had more
weight thrown on to the driving wheels.
It being now six o'clock in the evening the proceedings
were adjourned to yesterday.
Yesterday (Tuesday) the first witness called was
Robert Lewis Junco, who said he was the general ma-
nager of the joint-station at Chester. The management is
vested in a committee of the representatives of the four
companies. My duty is to see that all the departments of
the service are attended to by competent persons, but have
not specially to do with the arrival or despatch of trains.
The individual companies have no control as to the
working of the station—their control would be limited
to their own trains, as to the arrival and departure
of them, and the mode of marshalling the trains.
All arrangements growing out of the union of the com-
panies there are under me, hut the special arrangements of
the companies, such as the locomotive power, the placing of
guards, the lighting of carriages, awl such matters, would
devolve upon each individual company. On Wednesday
evening last I was present at Chester station, but cannot
speak positively as to the departure of the trains in ques-
tion. I wax engaged in noticing the departure of the trains
of other companies as well as this. I do not remember
particularly seeing the departure of any train except that
run into, which I noticed us having a private car-
riage upon • truck at the end of it. It left
a little after seven o'cl,'ck. I remarked the carriages
because the lady it belonged to had been anxious to get it
off, and there hail been Wide difficulty in getting it loaded
in consequence of the crowded state of the sta:ion. There
were tome 450 carriages in and about the station. There
were a great number of passengers anxious to go by it, and
many of them had gut upon the roofs of the carnage" for
want of room inside. I ordered men to make them get
down before the train started, and they did get down. I
did not notice whether there was a guard, but I may say
generally that I believe no train would be allowed to leave
without a guard. I believe there was more than one break,
but no break van to it. I cannot say whether there was any
tail light. The train left Chester with an engine behind
as well as in front of the train, and that would
render it difficult to see whether there was a tail light. It
did not leave the plattorm, but another part of the station.
The staff at the station is one general manager, one station
master, one carriage inspector, one superintendent, three
policemen, 24 porters, and 17 pointsmcu. On Wednesday
last there was an addition of 9 policemen and 16 porters. I
observed the train in question when it got in motion, and
fur • few yards. Mr. Critchley starts the trains. There
would be 5,000 persons on and about the station at the time
this train was started. I believe that no train left Chester
along the line to Walton till at least a quarter of an hour
after the caw mentioned. I was present when the next (or
third) train left, but did not pay. much attention to it.
It is optional with the companies using the general station at
Chester as to adopting tail lights to trains travelling by day.
It is the duty of the station manager to see that lights are
attached to trains leasing by night. It is the duty of the
guards not to leave without seeing tail lights to their res-
pective trains. It is optional with the companies to run
any number of trains they like, provided the rule No 4 in
the regulations be not infringed—that is not to leave
within seven minutes of each other in clear and ten minutes
in fuggy weather. The general manager and committee
have no control over the departure of trains beyond that.
The subject of providing accommodation in the Chester
race week , and especially on Wednesday, was continually dis-
cussed between Mr.Critchley and myself for weeks previous,
and especially on the morning of M ednesday ; we provided
that we should be furnished with every place where a train
should be brought in at the station, and, as far as possible,
where they should depart from. Our arrangement fur the
departure of trains was adhered to very closely, being only
varied where the number of empty carriages blocked up
the exit. The number of extra men employed was as many
as we could get or keep in order. Our average ordinary
number of passengers in and out of Chester is 2,000 per
day. On this occasion there were, as nearly as we can
ascertain, 18,000. The amount of extra assistance was as
gnat as we could command, because persons not under-
standing the business would be in the way instead of being
efficient.
By the Jury—l only interfered on Wednesday last with
the arrangements of the Cheshire Junction Company to
the extent of ordering the men down from the carriages
It is the duty of the station-master to see that efficient
lights, guards, and breaks are attached to all trains, and he
has power to stop any trains leaving without guards,
breaks, and signal lights. It is a rule for the guards to see
that they have their signal lamps attached. Thatlies to
trains leaving at night, or that will be out at night. My
tint no train left is has than • r an hour
after as is founded ea the koowlsdg. that Ma train
wee seitteit set by eau bar awl that net Ms dna a
' quarter of a brae wield win Ater kbegm up the Wine
and teem and be a* shed be the neeeeediseig web, sad
take it oat. The witness was briber examined at great
length by the jury, but the evidswee did not materially
bear on the direct sulleet of investigation.
The inquiry wee promeding when the train left, at two
o'clock.
The parties meet seriously injured among the wounded
by the accident are, Messrs. Happier, Rooker, Leete, ad
Hurry. Messrs. Rooker and Nippier are still in a very
precarious state, and it is very doubtful if they will recover.
The others are reported as much better, though still in a
state of great suffering.