The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-05 00:00:00

SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH

EASTERN RAILWAY.

An alarming accident occurred near the Meratham
station, on the South Eutern Railway, at an early hour
yesterday morning. The goods train from the Bricklayers
Arms Terminal to Reading left town shortly after 5 o'clock
and proceeded safely u far as the llerstham station, a few
yards beyond which it ran into a ballast train which was in
the act of starting at the moment on its downward journey.
The collision was a very serious one. The engine of the
luggage train and several of the ballast trucks were thrown
over on to the up line of rails, and a number of " nevi-
pion," who were riding in one of the trucks, were seri-
ously hurt. Intormatiea of the disaster was immediately
telegraphed to London, sad assistance in the shape of
engines and carriages was at ono, sent down to the spot.
Nine poor fellow, more or less injured, were placed in
carriages, and sent off to London. On reaching the ter-
minus, they were conveyed to St. Thomas's Hospital. Five
of them, after having bad their wounds dressed, were
sufficiently well to proceed to their own homes. The other
four are more seriously hurt. Theit names are—William
Thompson, aged 22, concussion of the brain and injury to
the head; Thomas Patmore, aged 51, laceratitk of the left
leg ; Samuel Hamner, aged 31, injury to the back and
contusion on the log ; John Knight, injury to the knee
and scalp wound. Mr. Macgregor, M.P., managing direc-
tor of the railway, having received information of the acci-
dent, left Loudon by special train, and arrived at Mentham
at eight o'clock. The traffic up to this time bad been
stopped on both the up and down lines, but under
the active superintendence of the hon. member,
the passengers in the delayed up trains were
transferred into the carriages brought down from London,
and conveyed to town. The trains on the down line were
delayed for a considerable period owing to the injury the
rails had sustained, but by dint of great exertion the usual
traffic both on the up and down line was unitized before
12 o'clock. The accident is stated to have occurred thus :
—lt is usual for every ballast train to be accompanied by a
signal-man, who rides in one of the trucks. When the train
comes to a stand this man goes back a few hundred yards
and exhibits his red lamp or flag, as the cue may be, to pre-
vent any succeeding train from running into the ballast
trucks. When the work fur which the ballast train stopped
is completed, a whistle from the driver hails the sigaal man,
who hastens back and jumps into one of the trucks, in order to
travel with the train. fhe signal-man belonging to the ballast
train to which the accident happened had been performing his
deity in the rear of the train, yesterday morning, and having
been summoned by the driver's whistle to rejoin the train,
he left his post, and was in the act of getting into one of the
trucks, after giving the signal to start, when the Reading
goods ran into the ballast train with terrific force. The
escape of the driver and stoker of the goods train was ex-
traordinary; and the wonder is, that the men in the ballast
trucks were not more seriously injured. There is only one
case—that of concussion of the brain—on the subjtc! of
which any anxiety is felt. The accident occurred '• b. -
tween the lights," just as day had broke, about a mile
beyond the Clay-cross tunnel.