The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-27 00:00:00

THE COLLISION ON 7HE WEST MIDLAND

_RAILWAY.

EVESHAM, Friday.—The magistrates sitting in
petty sessions here to-day have been occupied in
investigating a charge made against James Callow
and Daniel Langstone for wilfully, maliciously, or
negligently omitting to see that the line over which
they had superintendence was clear, whereby the
safety of passengers travelling on the line was en-
dangered. This charge arose ont of an accident on
the West Midland Railway near this town last
Tuesday evening, when the London express train,
which passes the station at 9 a.m., came into colli-
sion with three goods trucks, which had been left
on the line after the prisoners had been shunting a
train from a siding. Callow is foreman porter and
signalman at Evesham station, and Langstone is
horse-driver employed to assist in shunting trains.
His age is 17. Mr. Bentley, of Worcester, attended
to conduct the prosecution for the railway company,
and Mr. Eades, of Evesham, defended the prisoners.
The evidence of Henry Crompton, the driver of
the express train from London to Wolverhampton,
on Tuesday night, went to show that on approach-
ing the Evesham station, which the express passes
about 9.10 p.m. without stopping, he found the sig-
nals all right, and ran through the station at about
40 miles an hour. He had got about 200 yards be-
yond the station when he ran into three trucks,
which bad been left on the main line near to a sid-
ing. The trucks were smashed, his engine was dis-
abled, and the lives and limbs of the passengers
were endangered.

Evidence was then given to prove the duties of
the two prisoners. It was Callow's duty to attend
to the signals after 7 o'clock at night. He acted
as goods porter from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., from which
latter hour up to the departure of the last train.__
sometimes 11 or half-past 11 at night—he officiated
as signalman. It was his duty to see that the line
was clear and especially when any train was due.
A porter named Marsh assisted in shunting a train
at half-past 7 p.m., and saw the three trucks left
on the main line after one had been removed to be
forwarded to Chipping Norton, Langstone moved
the trucks with the horse, and Marsh last saw him
proceeding with his horse in the direction of the
three trucks left on the main line. It was Lang-
stone's duty to move the trucks from the main line
back to the siding. Mr. Dewsbury, stationmaster,
proved that it was Callow's duty to see that the
line was clear, and, if not, to keep the red light
" danger" up.
Mr. Eades, for the prisoners, cross-examined the
witnesses, with the view of showing that it was
possible for some mischievous person to have re-
moved the trucks from the siding► to the main line;
or that the wind might have moved them had they
not been " blocked" in.

The statements made by the
West
Callow stated
prisoners to Mr.
Lindley, locomotive superintendent on the
Midland Railway, were then proved.
that he SSW the three trucks placed back again in
the biding after the shunting, and, finding the,, stop
block" had not been placed to prevent the trucks
running
Langatone, in his statement, said that after shunt-
trucksing the Chi ;
back ou the main line, he put the block on.
ppalg Norton waggon, he drew the three
back again into the whether he had put the
stop-block on afterwards.
siding, but could not say
On
saw oin
tae ho e after
putting hie horse in the stable
he ,
(Callow) at the station, and
g g
signalmanm,af r

told him to put his signals on " all right" for the
express train, for that the line was clear.
Mr.ADcocK, secretary to the West Midland Rail-
way, gave Callow a good character for respecta-
bility and attention to his duties. He had not
known so much of Langstone, who was compara-
tively a new servant.

Mr. EADES having addressed the bench, and com-
mented on the fact that Callow was employed from
7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and sometimes later, submitted
that his duties were too heavy.
The magistrates having consulted together, the
chairman, Mr. NEW, announced that they had de-
cided on convicting both the prisoners, fining
Callow £lO, or two months' imprisonment, and
Langstone £5, or one month's imprisonment.