The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-15 00:00:00

Th Fatal Accident at Egham.

THE I NQUEST.
L,
The inquest to ascertain the can: of the death of Robert
Wilkey, Edwin Hall, Joseph Clegg, ;,2hn Coppard, and
William Winfield was resumed yesterday at 12 o'clock, at
the Literary and Scientific Institution, Egham.
Colonel Yolland was present to watch the proceedn,7B
in behalf of the Board of Trade. The following gentlemen
were also present :—Mr F. Clarke, for the brothers of Mr
Trigg; Mr Chubb, of Gray's-inn, for Mrs Hall; Mr
Robinson, of Jermyn-street, and Mr Newman, of Chelsea,
for Mrs Clegg; Mr Lamb, of Ship-street, Brighton, for
Mrs Trigg; Mr Rawlings, of Romford, for Lee and
Trainer, the engine-driver and fireman; Mr Crombie,
the law clerk, Mr Frederick Clarke, the secretary, Mr
Beattie, the engineer, and ,1r Godson, the superintendent,
were also present on behalf of the South-Western Railway
Company,
The jury, with Mr William Gardener as foreman, having
answered to their names, the Coroner said that at the pro•
cnedings on Thursday he had pointed out the evidence he
should require. He should first take evidence as to the
gradients, the stations, and the signals; then the time of
starting and arrival; and, lastly, whether the code of sig-
nals were properly exhibited and observed on the night in
question. The jury would have the assistance of Colonel
yo,:and, but it was not probable that any engineering
questie„: would arise. He (the Coroner) desired to know if
the guards fireman were present.
Mr Crombie said the guards were present, and notice had
been sent to the 12uses of the engine driver and fireman,
arning them to atteael•
Mr Rawlings said ha represented them, and he would
not at present tender them evidence.
The following evidence wait :hen taken :
William Frederick Godson, sup,:rinteudent of the line,
said—The line on which the accide,:t took place was the
Staines and Wokingham, properly' eo called. Special
instructions were issued with reference to the traffic on the
Tuesday, and for other days of Ascot Races, They were
issued to every servant of the compaay with regb:rd to the
service of the week from the 4th to the 11th of June. That
would comprise the four racing days. With regard to the
exhibition of signals on the Tuesday there were instruction,:
on the third page. Witness was at Ascot all day. Those
instructions would be delivered through the head of each
department, Mr Beattie having charge of the engineering
department. There were not any times mentioned, and
the traffic was of necessity uncertain. There were 11 plate-
layers on the line between Egham and Ascot, accoi ding to the
regulation, which is in the following words :—" Line be-
tween Waterloo and Ascot, and between Reading and
Ascot.--On Tuesday and Thursday platelayers will be sta-

tioned along the railway between Waterloa and Ascot and
between Reading and Ascot to signal trains throughout the
day, and until the last train has passed. After the passing
of every train they will show a stop signal for five minutes,
to be followed by a caution, signal for five minutes more;
but when the line is clear, and the preceding train has
passed over ten minutes, they will show an all-right signal.
While stop-signals are shown fog-signals 'rust be put
down also. When a platelayer shows one red sig-
nal enginemen will not stop their trains, but pro-
ceed very cautiously till the obstruction is seen."
The first station from Ascot will be Sunningdale, which
is about two miles, Virginia Water is the next, and beyond
that is four miles, and then the Egham station another two
miles. The signals at Sunningdale are the usual
standard and two auxiliary signals, one for the up and one
for the down road. At Virginia Water the same. Between
Virginia Water and Egham there are gates called Rusham
from 1,250 to 1,300 yards from the Egham station. That
is a level crossing, and a gate keeper and standard signals.
There is as auxiliary signal 530 yards from the Egham
station, and worked from there. On Tuesday, in accord-
ance with the regulations, there was a platelayer named
Wm. Drew near the distant signal. He had directions to
be there the whole day.
Mr Crombie—All the platelayers we have, Mr Coroner.
By a Juror—There were arrangements made for putting
out passengers at various stations, Egham amongst the
number.
By Mr Rawlings—Both Mr Scott and myself were pre -
sent. There was no such train on the Monday night as
on the Tuesday. If the driver of the train had to stop he
would have his instructions from Mr Scott, through the
guard. The second train had to stop at Staines, and the
memorandum now put in is in Mr Scott's handwriting.
The printed regulations are special, but do not interfere with
the ordinary traffic. On Tuesday, the 7th, 14 special trains
ran, but no notice was given to the public of them. They
were to run at intervals of five or ten minutes, but the ser-
vants of the company were not informed when they were
likely to pass. The station masters had notice to expect
trains every or any minute. We have the telegraph on this
line, but it is not used to signal the train from one station
to another. Mr Henry Clay is the station master at Egham,
and was present. It was customary to run either engine
or tender first, as was convenient. Witness was familiar
with the rules.
There is no time-table at Ascot. If the train was run-
ning, tender first, he (witness) was not prepared to say
communication could be fixed. The train, as made up,
would carry about 400 persons. -There is a rule as to the
guaid seeing that communication was fixed. The engine
driver can only communicate with the guard by the whistle.
Witness went to Egham after the accident and saw the
station master there. Mr Scott was then at the station.
Witness did not say anything to any person at the station.
By Mr Chubb—The plate layers were on duty early in
the morning, and were not relieved all day. The second
train started six minutes after the other train. . .

The Coroner—You mean the interval between the two
,rains.

Witness—Yes, precisely. I was only uncertain as to
he accuracy of my watch as to general time.
By Mr Chubb—The engines of both trains were running
—tender first. _

By the Coroner—There are general orders as to the sig-
nals, but no special instructions. After the train has passed
the signal, the danger is fixed—five minutes red and five
minutes green.
Mr John Strapp, resident engineer of the South Western
Company, said he prepared the plans produced, ie., under
his dire ti on, and he had checked them by the working
plans of the line. The distances are correct as stated. The
distance from the Egham standard to auxiliary is 513 yards,
and from the auxiliary to the level crossing at Rusham-gate
is 703 yards. The gradient from Rusham to Egham is at
the rate of three feet three inches per mile, the distance
being three quarters of a mile. Beyond that point towards
Ascot the line rises for a mile and 18 chains at a ratio of
45ft 3in per mile. The line takes an easy curve of rather
more than a mile, and you could see the signal at Rusham-
gate a little more than half a mile before you get to it. The
standing signal can be seen a long distance before the auxi-
liary signal.
John Walker, guard in the service of the South-Western
Railway Company, deposed he was in charge of the up train
which left Ascot station at 10 minutes past 7 on Tuesday,
the 7th inst. He took the time from his own watch, having
referred to it. Mr Scott directed him to leave. He is the
traffic manager. Instructions where to stop were in writ-
ing, and witness gave them to the driver Honer.
The paper (produced) was in Mr Scott's hand-
writing, and contains the names of the places we
we-e to stop at. The train consisted of 14 carriages and a
break. We had to stop at Egham, Twickenham, Barnes,
Clapham, and Vauxhall. They were not to stop at Virginia
Water. In pursuance of those instructions we stopped at
Egham station, having get there at 20 minutes past 7. The
signals were all right, and barring the caution signals there
was not anything to interfere. The train stopped at Egham
'ut down passengers. According to the rules and regu-
lations the usual time for stopping at Egham was a minute
or a winutb and a half. The train barely stopped two
minutes at the —9gham station. The extra traffic, and some
altercation with son,' passengers, made the difference in the
delay. He got out apt rhostation, and having done his work,
under guard, he (witness) took
and had the signal from tho's
.s whistle and showing
the orders to start from the at.: lion master, and gave the
usual signal to start by blowing his
the green flag. Witness did not look back until after alter-
ing his break, and before his train had Lot 20 or 30 yards
from the platform, he saw the following Ulna coming round
the curve under the wooden bridge.
The Coroner (to Mr Strapp)—How far is that?
Mr Strapp-1 will have it measured accurately.
Examination continued—Witness called out loudly that
the other train was coming on, He did not know whether
his driver heard. He (witness) did not know whether
the steam was full on when the second train came under
the bridge, but " I am certain it was on when it shuck
our train, but whether reversed or not I beating say,
but I should think it was by the beating of
it." The train ran into them, and the result
was that the last break van was broken up, and
one second next to it, and the next one too, also
a second class slightly damaged. So were all the other car-
riages, less or more, the effect of driving the train forward.
The rear of the train was about 20 yards frcm the platform
when it was shuck. After the collision, when he (witness)
came back he saw three bodies lying there dead. After
some little del: y witness went on to Staines, after having
first gene to the down road to stop the down traffic.
The second train was not to stop fit Staines.
All those who were injured were attended to.
There was no whistling as the train came on, The
9xiliary was put on as the witness's train passed the aro-
a,..
..and the standing were at caution and raised to danger,
'aw;ci 'were
_never lowered,
By Mr Groteble—All the signals were right. The plate-
layers were all ris-ht with. hand signals.
By Mr Rawlings-- WI tness
Read-
in
The ordinary tra:6°fan between London
the communication was
ing. When the train left. Condon
applied, but not on returrpug, .h°entender being first.
the inquiry was adjourned
After some further evidence
until Friday

,danee,

" M. Emile 011ivier," says the 10epen,..
"has forwarded to the electors at Toulon, w.ho have
some idea of supporting him as a candidate fox' the
Council-General, a circular drawn up in terms
almost similar to the reply recently made by him
to one of his electors, and published in the journals.
A pamphlet intended to explain M. 011ivier's con-
duct is about to appear. The rupture which has
takeetween him and all the other members
n place b
of the Left is nevertheless still more marked, espe-
cially Agee the presence has been remarked of M.
011ivier, as well as lki.D arimon, in the commission
charged by the Government te examine the ques-
tion of cheques."
GREAT INDIAN PENINSULA RAILWAY,--The
"dited accounts of this company show that the
5... ^eipts for the half-year ending the 31st of Dec.,
traffic rb.. Ato £207,871, and the expenses to £149,17
1863, amount. .
~eluding £23,731 or 11,42 per cent, for
or 71 76 per cent I._ .
nod and estimated 'for cotton, kc.,
compensation aseertat, balance of £58,697. The amount
damaged and lost, leavings
!he Government of India on
of interest paid and payable by
31st of December, 1863,
capital deposited with them to the
ahl
ph,
947,
to the Govern-
was £2,570,811; the profit paid and
ment out of revenue amounted to £614, 9471 leaving a
balance chargeable against half surplus prot;:s over 5 per
cent of £1,955,864. The capital account shoe; used
that
£10,783,690 had been received, and £10,456,877 expbAded
leaving a balance of £326,813,
THE FEDERAL NATIONAL DEBT.—An American
has measured and weighed the Federal national debt,,
which is 4,000,000,000 dols. Estimated in silver dollars,
he says that if they were placed edge to edge they would
stretch nearly 90,000 miles. Their weight would be 125,000
tons, which would lead 62,500 railway trucks, the aggregate
length of which would be 355 miles.—Tattanta Star.