The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-30 00:00:00

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT'S.

BRISTOL, Dan. 28.—About 9 o'clock last night, a
fatal accident occur, ed on the Bravol and Giouct seer line,
near t•.e Fishponds Station, about three milts tram this
city. It appears that, owing to the heavy fall of snow last
evening, the trains were much impeded in their course, the
line being to blocked up that it was neetsiary in many eases
to clear the rails before the train COU:ki proceed. Owing to
this cans,, and Ik lug delayed at Birmingham fur the train
from Derby, the train which should have arrived in this
city at 0.24 p.m. did not reach hero till 9 15. The deceased,
who was a switchman at the Fishponds Station, went
on duty about half.past eight, and was told by his
c =rade, whom ho had relieved, that the down train
had not arrived. Me replied, "All right," and was
left at his post; but about nine o'clock, whilst signal-
ling the up train, the down train approached, and
M fore the deceased was aware of its caning, lie was
struck in the hick by tae buffer of the engine end killed
on the spot. Na blame con be attached to any one but the
deceased himself, who, nutwithstending the caution he re-
ceived as to t' e train bring after time, must have stood on
the dowel rails to signal the up train, and it is supposed
the thick layer of snow prevented his hearing the approach
of the down train bet ind him, till too late to g't out of the
way. When found the body was lying midway between
the down rails, and not in the hest mutilated. The de-
ceased, whose name was William Lee, was it sternly, 'wilier
man, and find been in the company's 'mice upwards of
nine year•; he has left a wife and family to mourn his un-
timely death. The trains on the Great Western and Brie.
tol and Exeter lines were also detained ►ast evening from
the heavy fall of snow.
The Tar Vale Railway has a branch from Merthyr to
Dowlais. More than a mile of this is an inclined plane,
rising 400 fret in that distance. This is worked by a Ina.
timility engine. 'the efficials on Wednesday neglected to
attach the rope to the mid-day pt.ssisnger train before start•
ing it. It consequently dashed down the incline with
prodigiously lamming vi locity as it 'seared the but•
tout. The guard leapt cd the break aon after the
earriagei commenced their descent, and was uninjured.
Non., of tee passengers were, however. enabled thus to
eseat.e, as thee were all locked in the compartments,
and their shrieks while passing along the bridges over
the road, mar the town wire most appalling. The
branch jaius on to the main line at the bottom of the incline
by a sharp curve. The train abandoned the rails at this
spot, leapt clear up into the air a great height, the curlew e
separating into shreds, the passengers being thrown out,
and, with the di'bris of the train, Edhng like a shower into
the Taff river and en the adjoieing cinder tip.. Notwith-
standing this extraoidimay violence, sunie of thi passengers
were rnab ed to walk away comparatively unhurt ; others
are much injured, and two women are dying—one having
her back broken, and the other a fracture of the skull, be-
sides which rhi y are frightfully lacerated and torn almost
to pieces. Ilan the train been worked with a proper break,
it could have been brought to a stand, or, at all estate, its
sewed :lows the incline would have been so reduced as to
avoid the fearful results of t►e catastruphe.