The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-12 00:00:00

Collisions on the South-Western Railway

Yesterday evening a collision, providentially unaccom
panied by loss of life, occurred at the Putney station of the
Windsor, Richmond, and Reading breach of the London
end Sou:h-Western Railway, between an up. Reading and a
goods train. It appears that about half-past five o'clock a
goods train, which had come from Windsor, was delivering
some goods at the Putney station when it was run into by
the up passenger train which leaves Reading at 4 16, and,
after stopping at Richmond, run (without calling at Mort-
lake or Barnes) into Putney, where it was due at 5.39.
Whether tho distant signals were against the passenger
train, thus closing the station against its approach, or not,
could not be gathered in the confusion and excitement
which prevailed upon the spot, The trains coming from
Richmond have to pass round a curve which conceals the
station from approaching trains, and also down an in-
cline, and as the Reading up train rounded this curve its
engine ran with a frightful crash into the rear of the
goods train. The break •van of the latter (which the
guard had only quitted a second or two before) was crushed
and broken by the force of the collision, the end towards
the Putney station being shattered to pieces. The guard
must consequently have had a narrow escape from death.
The goods train consisted of an engine and a number
of trucks, some empty and some with goods ; and one of
these trucks, that nearest the break-van, was shattered and
thrown against the side of the cutting. The next truck to
this was thrown up in the air and turned over on to the
truck in front of it, while several more were thrown off the
line, the whole presenting a scene of wreck and confusion.
The engine which drew the Reading train (consisting of
eight passenger carriages) was apparently but slightly da-
maged, though its forewheels seemed partly off the rails.
As the train was coming rather slowly in at the time of the
collision, no lives were lost, though many of the passengers
were shaken severely by the shock. Mr Thorn, the Putney
stationmaster, promptly hurried to the spot with a number
of porters, and assisted the affrighted passengers to alight
from the train. He also immediately telegraphed to the offi-
cials of the line, and Mr Scott, the traffic manager, and Mr
Godson and other officials with two engines and a number
of platelayers, promptly made their way to Putney station.
Many of the passengers down this line were passed to trains
waiting on the Barnes side of the station, and so forwarded
to their destinations. The passengers for Waterloo, how-
ever, were not so fortunate, as it was nearly 9 o'clock before
a train was ready to take them from Putney, and passen-
gers from Windsor, &c., did not arrive in town till about a
quarter past 9. A serious accident occurred to a platelayer
while assisting in removing the broken trucks from the line.
His name is Robert Morgan. He was caught between two
buffers and crushed in the stomach and back. On being
carried into the station his injuries were examined by Mr
A. L. Owen, a medical student of Trinity College, Dublin,
and one or two medical gentlemen present, when it was
found he had received an injury to the spine. As the line
had become crowded with passengers and spectators, it was
found necessary to obtain the service of the metropolitan
police ; and after a short time Mr Superintendent Butt,
with some 23 or 30 constables of the 'V division, hastily
obtained from Putney and Wandsworth, rendered most
effectual assistance by clearing the line of strangers. At
eight o'clock no less than four down-trains and several up
were detained on each side of the Putney station, but after
a delay of about two or three hours the lino was sefficiently
clear for the resumption of traffic.
Another collision on the above line took place on Monday
night about 9 o'clock near the old Godalmington station.
The direct Portsmouth train leaving Waterloo at 7 o'clock
proceeded as far as Guildford in safety—the time of depar-
ture from that point being 7 57. The uptrain from Godal-
ming leaves at 8 20, and on moving from that station that
night everything appeared to be right. It had not, how-
ever, travelled many yards before the downtrain from Lon-
don ran into it with considerable force. The engine and
tender of the uptrain were knock•_d. completely over and
much injured, and one of the carriages was nearly broken
to pieces. In both cases the whole of the carriages were
shifted from the metals. We understand that the driver
and stoker in both trains escaped unhurt. There were but
four passengers in tho train,
an of whom were gentlemen.
Three of the passengers were together in one compartment
of a second-class carriage, and they
escaped with a slight
shaking; but the occupant of the next compartment of the
carriage, Mr Patterson, a Scotch draper residing in Guild-
ford, received a cut across the scalp, but it is thought that
the wound is not a serious one. The down train contained
a great number of passengers, but fortunately none of them
were injured. The line was cleared by about 3 o'clock yes-
terday morning. Mr Godson, the general manager at Nine
Elms, proceeded at once to the scene of the accident, and
he there ascertained that the auxiliary signal lamp had gone
out at Godalming, thereby taking the driver of the Ports-
mouth train off his guard, and causing the collision, Some
time elapsed ere fresh carriages could be made up to convey
the passengers to their destination.

FATAL ACCIDENT IN FENCHURCEE-STREET.—Last
evening as Thomas Grace, a carman, in the employ
of Mr Murdoch, builder, was proceeding along Fonchurch-
street he suddenl3, from some unexplained cause, slipped
over on the off aide, and the wheel went over his neck. He
was taken to the surgery of Messrs Sewell and Crosby, but
life was found to be extinct, and the body was removed to
the deadhouse of St. Dionis Backchurch, where it awaits a
coroner's inquest, The deceased leaves a wife and three
children.