The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-30 00:00:00

THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT

HARROW.

HARROW, WEDNESDAY.
This morning, at ten o'clock, Mr. Wakley, coroner
for the western division of Middlesex, and the jury em-
pannelled on Friday last on the body of John Bartholo-
mew, the guard killed by the late accident to the Liver-
pool and Manchester express train, re-assembled at the
Queen's Arms Inn, further to prosecute their investiga-
tion.

Mr. Hayes, of the firm of Parker, Hayes, Barns, and
Twisden, attended on the part of the North-Western
Company. Captain Wynne, Government inspector of
railways, Captain Huish, general manager, Captain
Bruyeres, general superintendent of the line, and Mr.
M'Connell, chief of the locomotive department, were
also present.
Previous to the inquiry being proceeded with, the
jury, accompanied by the coroner, Captain Wynne, Mr.
M'Connell, Mr. Sharp (the head of the firm of Sharp,
Stuart, and Co., of Manchester, the makers of the en-
gine), Mr. Edwin Clarke, and other officials, pro-
ceeded to examine the tire of the engine, which, in
accordance with the directions given by the coroner
on Friday last, was placed on a groove by the side
of the rails, in order that its strength might be tested.
In order to accomplish this effectually, the tire was
placed on end, and a monkey, weighing 18 cwt., was
raised by means of a triangle to the height of seven feet,
each foot being equal to one ton, in addition to the
weight of the piece of iron. The weight was then, by
means of a pulley, dropped suddenly down upon the
tire. The effect was to close the aperture (measuring
two feet six inches) five inches. The same weight was
raised a second time, but at an elevation of twenty feet,
as far as the triangle would admit, and "dropped as be-
fore, the only effect being to reduce the opening 74
inches more. The weight of the tire is about 7 cwt.
In order to afford the jury the opportunity of judging of
the quality of the metal, the tire was severed by means
of nicking ; the metal presented a fibrous bright appear-
ance. At the suggestion of the foreman, the iron was
then removed, in order that it might be broken close to
where it was originally snapped.
On the return of the jury to the inquest room,
George Grace and Henry Perfect, the drivers of the
engines of the express and goods trains, were examined.
Their account, however, was substantially the same as
that which has already appeared.
At this stage of the proceedings the tire, which had,
by order of the coroner and jury, been again "nicked,"
to test the quality of the metal, within an inch of the
spot where the breakage of the tire took place, was
again brought into court. The metal was pronounced
excellent, but the welding defective.
Mr. Thomas Beatt Sharp, of the firm of Sharp, Stuart,
and Co., of Manchester, makers of the engine—No. 289
was made by the firm. The tires were supplied, not
manufactured, by them. They supplied the company by
contract. The present engine was one of a lot of ten to
be supplied at a certain price. In this case they did not
put in a tender. The price of the engine was not caten-
ated by horse-power, but by the heating surface. The
alue of engine and tender was 2,4501. Had charged
a much higher price for an engine and tender ; four
years since the price would have been 5001. more. The
reduction is caused by a reduction in the price of mate-
rials and improved mechanism. Were bound to supply
the best of materials, and were bound to supply the tires
manufactured by the Patent Shaft and Axletree Com-
pany, of Wednesbury, near Birmingham. Had examined
the quality of the iron of the tire, and found it to be
good. Doubted if he had seen better iron. The weight
of the tire was about 7 cwt. The welding was entrusted
to the foreman of the smiths in the establishment, Mr.
Beyer.
By the Coroner—We superintend the welding person-
ally. The tires are tested by sounding and other-
wise. I have examined the welding, and I do not
think that it indicates either soundness or unsound-
ness. The particles appear to have been rubbed,.
together. We do not test the strength of the
tire. We purchase the best quality of iron. Each tire
is subjected to a sort of test by placing it on a wheel at
black heat, and allowing the eleventh part of an inch in
the diameter of the tire for shrinking. I cannot ac-
count for the breaking of the tire. It appears to me to
have been subjected to friction since it was broken.
By the jury—The welding of a tire does not weaken it.
Examination continued—lt is a portion of our contract
to guarantee the engines to run a thousand miles ; if
anything happened they were bound to repair it, but
after the thousand miles was completed our responsi-
bility ceases.
The Coroner—Can you suggest any means of prevent-
ing such accidents ?
Mr. Sharp--I do not see any means of preventing
such accidents. I have never met with more than three
cases of tires breaking out of 750 engines which we have
manufactured.
• Mr. Edwin Clarke, engineer and general manager of the
Electric Telegraph Company, sworn—l have made a great
many experiments as to the strength of iron. I have been
some years with Mr. Robert Stephenson, the engineer.
I have had much experience in welding. There is a
weld in about every 120 yards of telegraphic wire. I have
examined the tire in the room, and the quality appears
to be unusually good. I have examined the part where the
fracture occurred, whiCh I have no doubt was the
welded part. Ido not think the union of the iron per-
fect in the weld. It appears to me that nearly two-
fifths of the weld was not in cohesion. Welding is a
very difficult process indeed. If the temperatnre is too
high or too low the weld is apt to be bad. The colour
of the metal is the principal guide as to whether the
welding is good or bad. It requires great experience.
It appears to me that about two-fifths of the iron broken

was not properly united. I have heard Mr. Sharp's
evidence, but I do not think the fracture was caused by
friction, but by the want of cohesion. It is a very diffi-
cult thing to test a weld. Ido not think that sound
would do it, nor could the eye in this instance, as the
cohesion of the metal is quite perfect all round.
By the Coroner—l attribute the fracture decidedly to
the defective nature of the weld.
By Mr. Sharp—The ends of the tire did not fit, but I
do not think that shows there was something like
friction.
Mr. Sharp said if there had been no friction the ends
of the tire ought to have fitted exactly.
By tile Coroner—We never, when a weld is properly
made, consider it equally strong with a bar not welded.
My opinion has not been changed as to the character of
the welding by seeing that the ends did not fit.
Mr. J. E. M'Connell examined—l am locomotive
superintendent of the southern division of the London
and North-Western Railway. I am a practical and
mechanical engineer. I have no interest personally with
respect to this accident, and I speak independently in
this matter. When engines are purchased I inspect
them, and I also order the foreman at Wolverton, Mr.
Forsyth, to examine them and report. We examine the
tires by narrow inspection, and if we have a doubtful
tire we put them in the fire, and if a dark line appears
we condemn it, and put it aside. I examined the tire
of this engine and saw no imperfection. I have exa-
mined the fractured ends since the accident. The quality
of the iron is very good, fibrous, and strong. I never
saw a better quahty of iron. The extreme breadth
of the tire is 51 inches. The outer edge is 21
inches in thickness. Through the centre of the
tire the thickness is 23 inches. Over the flange it
is 33 inches. The portions are imperfectly welded
in breadth to the extent of three inches, and have
never been united properly. An inch is unsound
throughout out of the width. Three square inches of the
surface I deem unsound. I should say there are other
parts imperfectly welded. I should call this a bad weld.
I travel over portions of the line very much. If I find
the rails rough or uneven I report to the permanent way.
My reports are punctually attended to. We weld at
Wolverton about 3,000 tires a year. After being welded
we put them on what is called stretching blocks. We
suppose that the force used would at once discover if a
tire was unsound. If this tire had been subjected to
such a trial, my opinion is that it would have flown.
As near as I can say, we have about 5,000 waggons and
1,000 carriages. 260 engines, and 260 tenders employed
on the line, on which there are about 30,000 tires of our
own welding. I only remember one tire being fractured
within six years of our own stock and our own manufac-
ture. Ido not regard the welded portion of a tire, if it
is properly done, to be weaker than the other portion of
the tire. The reason I have for it is, that the metal
being well hammered makes it the stronger. We have
had solid iron break in frosty weather, but not the weld.
No flaw could have been detected in the tire in this in-
stance from outward appearance.
Mr. Beyer was here sworn—l am trusted with the
supervision of the making and welding of tires in
Messrs. Sharp's establishment. They are made and
welded by John Nuttall, the foreman of the smiths. It
is my duty to inspect the work as it proceeds. Three or
five men would make the weld for a tire of the size be-
fere the jury in about three-quarters of an hour. The
men are paid by the day. I think it would be well to
pay them for the number of welds they make. We
stretch our tires when welded in the same way as de-
scribed by Mr. M'Connell (the witness described to the
jury the mode of stretching adopted at Messrs. Sharp
and Stuart's factory, which differed from that used at
the factory at Wolverton, inasmuch as the metal at the
latter place is tightened by a screw). Considered the
test much the same, and that it might have borne the
test referred to by Mr. M'Connell. The weld is a bad
one. The responsibility of sending out such a weld
would rest upon no one in particular, but upon the entire
establishment, as it passes through so many hands for
inspection.

The Coroner said he thought that the inquiry was now
narrowed into a very small compass ; and unless Mr.
Sharp or the company wished to call any witnesses, they
might now conclude the inquiry, which, as far as the
safety of the public was concerned, was a very important
one.

Captain Huish said, on the part of the company, they
had no evidence to offer, unless there was thought to be
anything reflecting on the management.
The Coroner said that he could not see that the ma-
fnagement of the line was in the slightest degree af-
cted by the inquiry. The real object they had to
consi eder was the death of this unfortunate man, the
guard ; and if Captain Huish had anything to state which
would result in good effect with respect to the prevention
of a recurrence of such accidents he would be happy to
hear him, As far as that investigation was concerned,
there was not the slightest blame to be attached to the
management of the line in the slightest degree. The real
point was whether or not there was anything defective
in the tire. It was however most desirable that the fears and feelings of the public should be softened and
allayed 3 and if greater confidence could be given to the
public in railway management by any statement, he