The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-08 00:00:00

7HE COLLISION ON THE MIDLAND

RAILWAY.

MARKET HARBOROUGH, SATURDAY.

ADJOURNED CORONER'S INQUEST.

The adjourned investigation as to the fatal colli-
sion which took place at the Market Harborough
joint station of the Midland and North-Western
Railways on the night of Thursday week was re-
sumed this morning, at 10 o'clock, at the Town
Hall, before Mr. Gregory, one of the coroners for
the county of Leicester.
The inquiry again excited deep interest.
Mr. Metcalfe, barrister, instructed by Messrs.
Cleather and Co., solicitors, represented the London
and North-Western Railway company; Mr. Mari-
gold appeared on behalf of the Midland Company;
and Mr. E. Bennett, of the Midland Circuit ; and
Mr. Fisher, and other legal gentlemen, on the part
of the deceased and injured parties. Mr. J. P.
Bruyeres, general superintendent of the London
and North-Western, and Mr. Markham, engineer,
with Mr. Needham, superintendent of the Midland
line, were also present.
Charles Evans was the first witness called. He
said—l am a pointsman in the service of the Lon-
don and North-Western Railway Company, sta-
tioned at Market Harborough. I do alternate work
.with Hagger, the pointsman on duty on the night
of the accident. The signals were all right on the
night of the accident, and also when I relieved
Hagger on the following day. On Wednesday morn-
ing last some one came to me and told me the auxi-
liary signal was wrong ; I found it to be quite cor-
rect. I have been three months at that post, and
never knew the signal to fail or be out of order. I
have known trains run in at the station when the
semaphore was at "danger."
By the Jury—l was on duty on the night pre-
vious to the accident, when the 7.23 fast train ar-
rived. The red lights were on at both signals, and
the Northampton train was just going out to Stam-
ford. The first train, in defiance of the red sig-
nals, came down the incline at a very rapid
rate, and pulled up just clear of the main line. It
had passed the distance signal before it was brought
up, and if it had been a slippery night the train
would have been unable to have pulled up before it
reached the semaphore. As it was the train through
without the signals being lowered. The train was
a through train, and ought not to stop at Market
Harborough. The train passed the ordinary signal
at about 20 or 30 miles an hour. If the Northamp-
ton train had been a long one, I have no doubt the
7.23 train would have run into it.

By Mr. Metcalfe—l have frequently known Mid-
land trains approach the station at from 25 to 30
miles an hour when the " danger" signals have
been on. . _ _ _ _

Mr. J. Bedford, superintendent of police of the
London and North Western Railway, said the sig-
nals at Market Harborough are worked under my
direction. I have always regarded both Hagger
and Evans, the signal-men there, as very careful
and attentive men. I have myself occasionally in-
spected and tried the signals, as I do at all other
stations under my charge, and never found them
fail. I have tried the auxiliary signal since the
accident, and foand it in good working order. It
has not been repaired in any way since the accident.
By a Juror—The distance signal is worked by
wires, which were above ground and not placed in
tubes.

Win. Clarke examined—l am a signal-fitter in
the service of the London and North Western Rail-
way Company. It is my duty to attend to' the
signals, and on Aug. 7 I put a new wire to the dis-
tance signal at the Market Harborough station, as
the old one had broken. I have examined the wires
as well as the signal since the accident, and have
found them to be in thorough working order.
By Mr. Metcalfe—lf the wire broke the signal
would at once go back to danger.
Geo. Toole, examined—l am foreman to Messrs.
Stevens and Son, of London, who are extensive
manufacturers of signals. I have inspected the
signal of Market Harborough. The auxiliary was
a patent signal, and one of the best construction.
Wm. John Jennings, examined—l am inspector
of the permanent way of the London and North-
Western Railway, and have their portion of the
Market Harborough station under my charge. Since
the accident I have been carefully over the Midland
line approaching the station, between the gatehouse
and the station. The result of that inspection has
been to test the fact beyond a doubt that the driver
of a second train at night eoald not fail to see the
tail lamp of a train at the station at least 200 yards
south of the auxiliary signal. I ascertained this by
placing a man with a newspaper before me in the
direction of the station, in fact at the station, to
ascertain how far he could be seen, and I found he
could be seen at the distance I have mentioned. Of
course red lamps at night would: be more glaring
and visible.

By Mr. Metcalfe—As the signal could be seen it
was a most dangerous thing for a driver to put on
the steam, and whistle the breaks off. I have no
hesitation in saying that had the driver of the
second train kept a good look out he must have seen
the red tail lights of the train preceding him at the
station at least 200 or 300 yards before arriving
there.

Joseph Greenwood, driver of the first train, re-
called—l remember passing Atkinson's gatehouse
on the night of the accident. I did not speak to
Atkinson. I had not time. I did not say to Atkin-
son, "Put down that hand-lamp." I took down my
hand-lamp from off the weather board, and gave
him the red light. I knew that the other train was
behind me at Bedford, and I gave it to him as a
caution light, to keep on his duty. Ido not know
that he ought to have understood the object of my
giving him that light. It is not a frequent thing
for us to give a signalman that light. I never re-
collect doing so before, although I have been a
driver two years. I did not say anything to him.
I had Mr. Dykes, who I believe is an inspector of
the line, on my engine at the time.
By Mr. Metcalfe—l did not tell Hagger that I
had shown tie gateman a red light. I told our
second driver that I had shown the gateman
the caution light. I will not say that Hag-
ger might not have heard me when I told our
driver. I believe the inspector was aware that I
showed the caution light to the gateman. I did so
because I did not know how close the other train
was after me.

By the Jury—l believe that the signals at the
station are sufficient to stop a train in time, but I
gave the caution to the gateman to keep a good
look-out. When I told our second driver what I
had done it was after the accident.

Mr. Fisher, on the part of several persons in.
jured, thought that evidence should be given as to
whether these trains had been started from King's-
cross in accordance with the rules of the railway
company.

The Coroner said no doubt that would be done.
Mr. Metcalfe here said that the London and
North-Western Company were exceedingly anxious
that the jury should' test for themselves how far
the signals could be seen, as there had been so
much discrepancy in the evidence on that subject.
For that purpose they had carriages at their dis-
posal, and he would suggest that they would now
take the opportunity of doing so.
The coroner and jury acquiesced, and proceeded
to the line for the purpose of making their official
inspection. The result of this was to establish the
fact that the witnesses who were in the train, and
who deposed to seeing the white signals or red sig-
nals on, could not have seen them at all while the
train was in motion, in consequence of the great
curve, but that the engine-driver of the second
train could have seen them.

On the return of the jury,
Mr. Robert Dykes was examined. He said—l
am inspector of the passenger department of the
Midland Railway, and I accompanied the excursion
train on the night of Wednesday week, and which
was timed to return on Thursday. I proceeded with
that train to London. The following evening
(Thursday) we left London, and in consequence of
the number of passengers the trains were divided at
King's-cross. I came away with the first train from
King's-cross at 38 minutes past seven. I have no
official knowledge of the time the second train left.
I gave no orders. I rode on the engine and saw the
second train just arriving at Bedford as we were
ready to leave. That was the first time I had seen
it, and did not see it again until the collision took
place at Harborough. On arriving at Little Bow-
den crossing the engine-driver showed the gateman
a red light. I presume he did so to indicate that he
intended to stop at the station. At the time the
collision took place we were just on the point of
starting. I cannot speak as to the signals of the
second train. The signals were all right for us to
come in. We took in water at Harborough.
should think we were here seven or eight minutes
when the collision took place. Ido not know who
started the second excursion train.
By Mr. Ewens Bennett—It is true that the offi-
cials of the Harborough
station did not know that
there was more than one train returning down the
line. The only knowledge they had of it was the
red tail light of the first train. We had no tele-
graph to Harborough to that effect: There was no
notice that these trains were divided, except at Lei-
cester. The only means they could have of knowing
at Market Harborough was forming their own
judgment from the red lights at the tail of the first
train.

Mr. Metcalfe--The tail of the first train never
got up to the Market liarborough station at all ?
W, ltueBs—lt did not.
, I htgi how could the station people at Market
ior
"'Thorough know that a second train was coming
from that circumstance ?—That is the only means

that I am aware of they had of knowing. The divi-
sion of tne trains was telegraphed to Leicester.
Coroner—How was it that it was not telegraphed
to the other stations ?
Witness—lt cas not usual. There would be no
one up. lam not aware of the time the office
closes here. It is not usual to telegraph •to Har-
borough. There was no notice sent to ;) ny statioir
except to Leicester— ►t least, not that I am aware of.
Mr. Bennett—And the people at Harborough
could have no knowledge that you had divided the
train at King's-cross ?
Witness—l cannot tell. They might judge.
But you took up two heavy trains, and they could
not know that they would come back in two trains
on the second night ?—No ; but they might judge.
Then was it left to their judgment ?—I cannot
say that.
Mr. Metcalfe—But you have already said that
the only notice was 'he extra tail lamp at the end
of the ti ain that a second train was to follow, but
that the first train never got up its tail to the
Market Harborough station at all, and therefore
they could not see the notice.
Witness—That is so.
Then the fact is the people at Market Harborough
had no notice whatever P—No.

Mr. Marigold—By whom are the trains started
King's-cross 9
Witness—Tb t.• trains from King's-cross are started
by the station superintendent, or his deputy on duty.
The Coroner here inquired if there were any
more witnesses, and, being answerable in the nega-
tive, he proceeded at great length to read over and
sum up the evidence.
The jury at four o'clock retired to consider their
verdict. After a deliberation of upwards of four
hours they returned into court with the following
verdict :—" Manslaughter against Ezra Stubbs, the
engine-driver of the second Midland excursion train,
and highly censuring the Minland Company for
permitting two large excursion trains to start within
so large a period without sufficient break power."
The coroner made out his warrant for the com-
mittal of Ezra Stubbs to the Leicester County Gaol,
and the proceedings in this protracted inquiry ter-
minated.

7HE LATE ALARMING ACCIDENT ON
7HE LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER
RAILWAY.

COMMITTAL OF THE PLATE-LAYER.
CANTERBURY, SATURDAY EVENING

The circumstances connected with the alarming
accident on the London, Chatham, and Dover Rail-
way, near Beakesbaurne, on Thursday last, were in-
vestigated on Saturday before a full bench of magi-
strates, at the St. Augustine's Magistrates' Clerks'
Office, at Canterbury, under the chairmanship of
Mr. William Plummer, when the plate-player in
the service of the company, Henry Haynes, was
placed at the bar charged with having, through
negligence, caused a train, consisting of two engines,
seven carriages, and a break-van, to be thrown off
the line.
After some witnesses were examined,
The magistrates committed him for trial.