The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-22 00:00:00

Fatal Collision on the Scottish Central
Railway.

(From the North British _Daily Mail of yesterday.

On Saturday morning we were able to announce the fact
,hat a collision attended with serious consequences had oc•

curred the previous night near the Dunning Station of the
Scottish Central Railway, and that two wen had been killed

and other three severely injured.
Dunning Station is nine and a half miles south of Perth,
and 53 miles from Glasgow, and the dire catastrophe oc-
curred between the distance signal and Dunning Station,
on the down line of rails, about half•past five o'clock
p.m. A down train had arrived at Dunning Station, and

was a considerable time detained there in shunting.

While doing so a ballast engine, with one third class
class carriage attached, came up, also from the south, on
the same line of rail, and drew up close to the rear of
the goods train, which had not started off on its journey,

and within protection of the distancs signal. The carriage
was filled with platelayers, who had been engaged dur-
ing the day working on the line near Blackford, and

who were returning to their homes at each of the stations

on the line up to Perth, including Forteviot and Forgan.
denny. Some time afterwards another goods train of 34
trucks, from Greenhill, came up, ran past the distance
signal at full speed, and into the ballast and other goods
train, producing a scene which forcibly recalled the dread-
ful spectacle presented by the Winchburgh collisicn last
year. Happily the workmen in the ballast carriage had all
got out but five, or it would probably have rivalled that
catastrophe in the loss of life. The destruction to property
is not so extensive as that which took place at Winchburgh,
although it must be very considerable. Botb lines were
blocked up with a dozen broken trucks, and the passenger
carriage was smashed into very small pieces, while the en-
gine and tender of the train which did all the damage—a
very heavy one—was damaged so as to render them well
nigh useless, and the ballast engine and tender were like-
wise a good deal broken. Some of the vans had been thrown
right en the top of others, while one or two were knocked
on end as if they had been lucifer-match boxes, and others
were so reduced in size that only their mere framing re-
mained intact. The down rails were twisted and broken,
and the debris heaped around was very considerable.
As soon as the sound of the collision reached Dunning
station the attendants there ran to the spot and gave
speedy help to the injured; while, at the same time, a
telegram was sent to Perth informing the chief officials of
the occurrence. As quickly as possible they arrived in two
special trains, bringing with them Drs. Buist, Wallace,
and Stirling, all of Perth. By this time the five men who
were in the canine had been extricated alive from its broken
fragments, but two of them died in the Dunning station-
house soon after. Their names are William Morris and
James Bowden, both married men, who have left widows
and families to lament their loss. Morris, who was an elderly
man, resided in Perth, and his family are all grown up,
Cunningham,
some of his sons being drivers on the line ; and Bowden is a
younger man, who lived at Forteviot. Other two men,
named
andfoundGeorge to be much injured. After
in both re-
sidingat Matthew
being attended to by the surgeons they were carefully con-
veyed to the Perth Infirmary, where they arrived about 10
r
p.m. Reilly is badly injured in the chest, and he had also
his foot bruised ; but Cunningham's injuries, which are
otevio R
t, Reilly
werelly
chiefly on his back, are believed to be more severe. How-
ever, be has youth on his side, being only about 30 years of
age, while Reilly is at least 20 years older. Both were re •
ported on Saturdayas being slightly better, although neither
is out of danger. The other man who was hurt was able,
with assistance, to walk home, and no serious consequences
are apprehended on his account.
Immediately after the sufferers had all been extricated
and attended to, a strong force of men were gathered to.
gether from various points, and vigorous measures were
taken to clear the up line, so as to permit of the usual
traffic being resumed with as little delay as possible on the
one line of rails. This was accomplished by midnight,
when the south express, leaving Glasgow at 9 o'clock, which
arrives at Perth at 11.20 p.m., was able to proceed. In con-
sequence of the stoppage of the line the passengers by the
trains leaving Glasgow at 4.15 and 6.15 p.m., and that at
7.30
p.m. from Perth were detained, they having to leave
the carriages and walk to others which were in waiting for
them at the ether ends of the blocked part of the road.
From ea this
• use the latter train did not arrive ire Glasgow
till midnight.
Who is to blame for this sad cat istrophe it is not for us to
say at present. The distance danger signal was shown, it
is averred, but the driver says he neither saw it nor any tail
lamp at the ballast carriage; in fact, that he saw nothing of
the preceding trains uutil he was within 20 yards of them,
when he had, of course, no time to pull up. Under these
circumstances it is wonderful that more casualties have not
occurred, and that the drivers and stokers of the trains were
not injured. Mr. John. M`Lean, the procurator-fiscal for
the county, wee early on the ground on Seturdey, and com-
menced a se4reolaiog iflve6tlgatiou into all the circumstances.