The Express.
London, England, 1857-06-29 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT

ON THE

NORTH KENT RAILWAY.

LATEST PARTICULARS.-(THIS DAY.)

In consequence of the late hour last night at
which this dreadful catastrophe took place, and the peat ex-
citement that prevailed, the collection of authentic and full
particulars was found by our morning ootemperaries a matter
of impossibility. We now, however, proceed to lay before
our readers a correct version of the occurrence—one obtained
from official sources and from eye witricaseq.
. a. .

-
It appears that the ordinary train that leaves Strood
at 9.16 on Sanday evening started as usual at
proper hour, and proceeded without interruption
Lewisham, where it was brought to a standstill, in
order to allow the train from Beckenham a line
remedy opened—toper on its way to London. Whether
the Beckenham train was late, or the Stt cod train in advance
at ifs thee, we are not able to state, bat there appears no
dog< the first train wee delayed about twenty minutes, it
harks( arrived at Lewisham about twenty minutes to eleven
o'clock. The hour of eleven had just struck when another
train was heard owing up at a rapid speed from the dirty
Hon of Blackheath. A few of the passengers on hearing the
approach of this train, felt some alarm, and, we were
informed, left their seats and stood on the bank. In about
two minutes afterwards the last-named train dashed
into the standing ono with most fearful violence. To give
anything like a description of the fearful scene which fol.
lowed would be impossible. Heart-rending shrieks pierced
the air, men ran about almost frantic in search of their ei:ven
while mothers, equally excited, sought their children ; and the
groans of the wounded enable to extricate themselves, wens
frightful. Those who were not wounded, to their credit be it
said, exerted themselves to the beet of their power, as did aloe
the few permss who were either on the spot or, being in the
neighbourhood, had hastened on to the line. It was found
that by the force of the collision the latter past of the standing
train had been thrown with ouch tremendous violence on to
the top of some of the other carriages that the wheels de.
sounded through the roofs, mashing and killing the acme
pante. The break-van of the standing train was found
imbedded in the carriage immediately preceding it, and bad
eitherkllledorinjnrednearlyeverypemonin it. One poor women.
was literally severed in twain. Legs were fractured, skulls,
and faces so crushed that identification was almost impoe--
sible. In another piece a woman with a child near her side
was found. They were both crushed In death. tier husband,
who had lacy sitting near them in the same van, esespeda
but his sudden bereavement had almost deprived him of

The wounded were 'extricated as soon as practicable, but
considerable time elapsed, owing to the heavy weights that
had to be removed from them. The wheels, for instance.
remained on the legs of one person for more than an hour.
and when efforts were made to raise them on ono side
they descended with still greater force on some unfortunate
who was lying under them on the opposite. The
deed bodies were carried into the Plough Tavern.
at Lewisham, as were sleo the persons who wens
too seriously hurt to be safely removed to London.
This morning, upon inquiry we found there were alerts
desd—viz., seven men, three women, and one child I) ing se
that establishment, as well am four persona so dengeroualy
wounded that their lives are despaired of. The other persons
who were wounded were conveyed to town in cats and om-
nibuses, and taken to St. Thomas's Hospital.
At St. Thomas's upwards of thirty had their wounds
droned, end were sent home, and there are about a &US
still in that institution. There are now at the Plough,
Lewisham, Joseph Hale, North-street, East-street, Wool-
wich; Mary Berth, Hart-street, Bloomsbury, London.
James Poland, Travels-house, Gravesend; James Arks:
7, Francis-sheet, New-teem, Deptford. The pre, ire nature
of the injuries in these cams is not exactly known, but they
are all meet severely injured, and cannot be removed.
Others severely injured are:—Mrs. Reynold, 46, Red
Lion. street, Clerkomell, back of bead smashed and left log
immovable. Butcher, 22a. College-street, Brom**.
severe injuries to the legs and head. Ads Triune, 5, Little
Mitchell-street, Ironmonger-row, St. Luke's, severe to
juries to both legs. J. Owes, Danford, injury to
ankle, fcc. Min 19, Hart-street, Deptford.
severe injuries to legs, heed, and loins. Mrs.
Boykett (widow), 68, Park-street, Lambeth, vary much
hurt indeed; revere oentneiens, cut free, and other serious
bodily injuries. Alfred Dawson' George-street, Borough.
cut eyes, lacerated fingers, and head sad legs severely In-
jured. C. Read, 1, Turner-place, King-street, Borough.
injury to knee. Wood, Catherine Wheel Inn, Borregbi
injuries all over hie lege. Cline, 12, Southampton.
street, Nine Elms, legs severely hurt. Mrs. Webb, 9,
Peter-street, Smith -street, Brehopegate; both doge fractured.
Mr. Webb (husband of the above) severely ruptured, in
addition to extensive bodily injuries. Mr. Robinson, 4.
Crown-place, Walworth, nose cut and knees injured. H.
Bremer, 13, Canterbury-terrace, Dover-read, arm nipped
to be broken and other injuries. Um. Collins,
36, Crown-street, Finsbury, both legs hurts
Gettle, Warwick-street, Pimlico, much injured. G.
11. Restell, 4, Fenebureh-bnildings, City, arms and legs
fractured, and other very severe injuries. Pigeon, Hinge
street, Borough, bruised knee, sprained seek, and fare
severely cut. Collins, 3, Friendly-mutt, Old Kent-reed,
fare very much cut.
NAME. or rue. DEAD.—Mrs. Willeocke and her slat*
both of Walweeth. John Bellinger, 31, Shaftesbury-Place,
Aldersgate-street, City. Mrs. Bellinger and child, wife mil
child of the above. Thomas Franklyn, 15, Great MAN.
pond, Southwark.
The other flee doomed had not, up to the time we wentlB
been identified.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The following account has been supplied us by a
gentleman who was a passenger in the first train :
" It appeara that the first train left Gravesend about ha*
part nine o'clock ; h was • long train, composed of date
second, third, and open fourth clam carriage', and nearly an
the carriages were full. After the tnin took its departure it
proceeded up the line at a slow pace, there being abet
crowded trains on before it, and at every deka
point the green light was exhibited until the train apprceeliai
Lewisham, when the colour of the signal was changed
to
red. The train was, therefore, brought up, and it hid
scarcely stopped at the entrance to thestation when the skill
mined of a whistle was heard proceeding from Ise
hind. The danger at once bacsime manifes•—•
train was rapidly approaching ; the passengers in tbs
flat train could distinctly hear the grating pound of
breaks, which were hurriedly being put on tho second trans;
I but kin momentum of the train could not be checked, and
k Iliatialy dashed into the open fourth-chase carriage* al tisk
duet train. The locomotive of tho emend train wee
dons el the rails, and lie tender haled fors
net l
1114 0". oPiti wringer. The shock wee
felt theesse entire length of the Bret alas, ea
peweepere were braised in the carriages Omit to the 1000=0.
en. Seel seenes es /allowed the collision, I could bard*
eves isneginsd. an
propel who were able quitted
their eas, all an Wok te swerteis the 'viva of the
ralechief; but It nu irk wed mewl minutes eispeel
before lights could be rowed. Who torches were yeah.
coming, it was found that the bind caerkges were crumbed
beneath the tender, end it was only with the aid of saws and
other cerpester's tools that the killed tad wounded could be
extracted. The 'hark& and noise of the affrighted crowd
who had jumped headlong, es it were, from the carriages.
added to the confusion, and upwards of an holt
elapsed before all the sufferers were got from be.
meth the ruins. Hundreds of the passengers preferred
walking to London to re-entering the train, and on the
road these who had been la the fast train joined in excited
convereation sa to the cause of the disaster, with paasengens
from the second train. Ono gentleman told
that the driver of the second train, who escaped in •
remarkable manner, appeared meet anxious to eamerale
himself from blame, end hurried about appealing to the
passengers to testify to his sobriety, saying, You see Tie
quite collected; I'm quite sober it's not my fault:
it is purely an accident.' The ascend train sawed to the
passengers to be traveling at about the rate of 15 mate a
hour before the breaks were put on. When we reached
London-bridge, at about one o'cleck, wo found that the drat
train with the wounded had just arrived."

A man, named Franklin, who watt employed to amt.' the
beadle of St. Thomas's Hospital, ea attending upen.lbe.
*minded in the hcepital up to five o'clock this mummer
received a message at the some institution that his men met-
a young man, about 23 years of nee. had bean ens
that his body was lying in the dead-hones at lawleiwskt
The unfortunate roan was to have been monied est
week, and bad been down the line to see Ida •
bride.
A poor woman was found amongst the killed and mentible
withher feet hanging only by the akin to her Okla; GS

flutterer prayed that the parties present would either remove
the injured limbs or kill her at once. Death, however, soon
put an end to her misery.
The directors of the Senth-Easters Railway Company
have instituted an inquiry into the circumstences, and this
morning the engineer of the line and manager of the pas-
senger traffic, aoconipanied by the chairman and secretary,
proceeded to the scene of the accident. Tho pointaman and
railway officials whose duty was to attend the signals, have
teen suspended. In addition to the inquiry before the
coroner, Captain Wynne. (Royal Engineers), inspector of
railways appointed by the Dowd of Trade, will make an
investigation. A special meeting of the directors will also be
held on Wednesday.
The scene this day at St. Thomas's hospital, the railway
terminus, and at the Plough Inn, Lewisham, where the deed
bodies see lying, was heartrending parents seeking for their
children, wives for their husbands, and person of all clesses
for relatives or friends. An aged couple excited con-
siderable sympathy at the hotpital, on inquiring for two
eons and their wives, who bad proceeded by the excursion
train to Gravesend yesterday morning, and had not returned.
On ascertaining that one of their sows had been killed and
his wife aerioucly injured, the aged parents fainted, and were
with much difficulty restored to consciousness,