The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-09 00:00:00

FATAL _RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

YORK, SATURDAY.—Yesterday afternoon an investi-
gation was commenced relative to the circumstances
attending the death of an engine-driver and stoker,
which took place about three miles and a half from
Selby, on the York and North Midland Railway. Lat-
terly, while so many accidents of a serious nature have
occurred on other railways, this line has been free from
them until the occurrence of this shocking casualty.
The names of the men who have lost their lives are
John Thompson, aged 27, who was the engine-driver,
and Joseph Sykes, the stoker, 24 years old. They both
resided at Hull.

The circumstances attending this disaster appear to be
as follows :—The accident occurred gn Thursday night,
between eleven and twelve o'clock. The time at which
the train (which consisted of, besides the engine and ten-
der, the guard's van and two carriages, and is called an
express train) ought to have started from Milford Junc-
tion was 11 o'clock, but it did not arrive there from Nor-
manton until a quarter past, and it went forward after
remaining at the junction three minutes. The accident
seems to have happened about half-past 11 o'clock, or
a few minutes before the expiration of the half hour.
The distance between Milford Junction and Selby is
seven miles and three-quarters, and the distance from
the junction to the place of the accident is about four
miles. There were only seven or eight passengers in the
train, and it may be here remarked, that the part of the
railway on which the accident occurred is nearly straight
for three miles and a half. After leaving the junction
nothing occurred worthy of notice beyond this—that a
person named Fawdon, who was on the engine at the
time, remarked to the driver that he thought they
were going rather quick, and afterwards, feeling
alarmed, he jumped off the engine, merely receiving
a few slight bruises. The train had passed the
Hambleton station, which is four miles and a quarter
from Selby, about 600 yards, when the engine began to
oscillate violently, and immediately afterwards it left
the "down" line of rails, ran along the railway for
about 65 yards, ploughing up the ground in its progress,
passing over the "up " rails, through the fence, and
entering an adjoining field, embedding itself at a
distance of about 20 yards from the railway, and at a
depth of from four to five feet in the earth. The tender
was lying partly across the up line, with the guard's
van attached. The coupling between these and the
carriages was broken, and the latter, with the impetus
they had received, proceeded some distance on the
line alone. The night was dark, and the passengers,
hearing the crash which took place, were very much
alarmed, but fortunately none of them received any
injury. Aked, the stationmaster at Hambleton, was
about retiring to rest when he heard the crash, and he
immediately proceeded to the spot and obtained such
assistance as he was able. The van had been thrown
upon its side, and Coupland, the guard, had a nar-
row escape. He had to break the window at the
upper side of the van for the purpose of getting out,
and shortly after he had freed himself, he saw a goods'
train approaching on the up line from Selby. He
shouted that it might be stopped, but Townend, the
engine-driver, was not able to prevent his train coming
in collision with the tender and van, although he did all
he could to prevent its doing so. His engine and part
of the train were also thrown off the line. A search
was made for Thompson and Sykes, who, it appears,
had made no attempt to escape. Indeed, one of the
arms of the driver was fast at the back of the regulator
guard, and the fireman was laid on the footplate with
his head towards the ground. Death must have been
instantaneous, as their bodies were dreadfully mutilated,
many of their bones being broken, and they bled pro-
fusely. No decided opinion can be formed as to the
manner in which their deaths were caused, but it is
thought by pressure between the tender and the engine.
Neither has an opinion been arrived at as to the origin
of the accident ; it is, however, supposed that it was
owing either to some defect of the line or to the speed
at which the train was travelling immediately before the
occurrence. The mangled remains of the two unfortu-
nate men were removed to the Hambleton station, to
await the coroner's inquest, which took place in the
village of Hambleton before Mr. Pearson, of Selby.
Several witnesses were examined, one of whom spoke to
the good order of the line, whereupon the coroner re-
marked that really, from his own knowledge, he did not
call it good. He said it would be his duty to write to
the Government, who might send down an inspector to
view the line, if they thought proper. The inquest,
would, therefore, have to be adjourned for a Int& or
ten days, and it was adjourned accordingly.