The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-09 00:00:00

BRIGHTON RAILWAY.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT;)

BRIGHTON, FRIDAY.
A small part at the end of the Patcham tunnel fell in
yesterday forenoon, and delayed the travelling a
little. Fortunately it is near the main road,
and the omnibusses of the Company were at
hand to carry passengers and luggage to Brighton.
It rained here • for the last two days alinost in-
cessantly, but now the weather is clearing up. The
end of the tunnel is being actively repaired, and will
be finished to-night. The disruption is attributed
to the wet weather. The swell drivers of the coaches—
almost on the point of extinction—are now chuckling
over the adage "Its a bad wind that blows nobody
good"—but their days are numbered, notwithstanding.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sra,—ln reference to tho reports regarding this rail-
road, I am desired by the Directors to state that the in-
terruption yesterday at the entrance of the Patch=
Tunnel, was caused by the falling of a quantity of chalk,
which has been removed, and the trains are running to-
day as usual. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

THOMAS WOOD,
Secretary to the London and Brighton Railway Company.
October 8.

BRIGHTON RAILWAY.—Yesterday the trains ran
ldbepeerneca so
deprecated. rife.
TheSuc use
ise otfem four-
wheeled
throughout this line, and the punctuality of their arrival
i
cannot
hyas
severely
best reply to the many exaggerated statements
with
wheeled engines upon this line, as upon many others,
was a fatal error, but the ready adoption of the six-
wheeled engines the moment their safety was proved to
the Directors, and the placing at once a luggage carriage
between the engine and the carriage, may be taken as an
assurance that the management is most sensitively alive to,
and is ready to use every means that may tend to, the,
safety of the public. The Directors have like Wise given
orders to the engine-drivers to average their time upon
the line, and this regulation ensures additional safety,
while it does not increase the gross time employed be-
tween London and Brighton. Professor Barlow, the
Government Inspector, is now making a survey of the
line, and his report will be made known in course of a
day or so. It would seem, from the appearance of the
train of yesterday, that the accident of Saturday has in
no perceptible degree diminished the contiience of the
public.
BRIGHTON, THURSDAY.—This afternoon this town,
which had so recently been thrown into alarm by the
late fatal occurrence on this line, was thrown into great
consternation by a report that Patcham tunnel had fallen
in. The non-arrival of the first train from London, by
which the London morning papers are brought down,
caused the most frightful and exaggerated statements to
be circulated. Immediately on the news being spread
a number of carriages proceeded to the spot, and the
Directors and officers, accompanied by a large body of
labourers, went down the line to render assistance. The
following particulars are collected from the place. Pat-
chain tunnel is rather better than a quarter of a mile
in length, cut under a plantation belonging to Major
Paine's mansion, about four miles from Brighton
and two from Clayton tunnel (the longest one on
the line.) It appears that the mail train, which
left Brighton at a quarter before eleven, passed
through in safety, no appearance of danger then existing.
The time for the next train to leave Brigton was a quarter
before twelve, when, most fortunately, before its arrival
some of the labourers employed on the spot, perceiving
the Brighton end of the tunnel in a tottering state, they
immediately raised an alarm, and caused the proper sig-
nals to he hoisted at each end to prevent the trains ap-
proaching. A great portion fell in at the exact time the
first train would have been in. Messengers were de-
spatched to Brighton and the Hassock-gate station to
inform them of the calamity. On the arrival, of the first
down train from London a dreadful scene presented itself,
from the alarm of the passengers through the remem-
brance of the recent fatal occurrence, as the train was
stopped just after emerging from Clayton-tunnel, and
numbers of people had congregated on the spot. In the
meantime the Directors had caused several flys, post-
chaises, &c., to proceed to Patcham to bring the passen-
gers on to Brighton, and vans, &c., for the luggage,
where the passengers arrived about a quarter past two,
two hours after the appointed time. On their arrival
the most affecting scenes took place between some of
them who had friends awaiting for them, as the general
report was that another fatal accident had taken place.
It is said, at Patcham, that the tottering state of the
tunnel was noticed by some parties early in the morn-
ing, and yet they neglected to give notice. It is a for-
tunate circumstance that it did not take place during the
passing of a train. It is hoped that a very searchingin-
quiry will take place into the circumstance, as so many
persons' lives are placed in daily jeoparday. The trains
now stop at Patcham, and the first down train from Lon-
don took up the passengers to London, who were con-
veyed from Brighton in post-chaises and flys. It is a
well-known fact that this tunnel has been watched, and
yet Sir Frederick Smith declared the London and Brigh-
ton Railway the safest and best constructed. A Govern-
ment messenger was in the first train from London,
having come down to examine the spot where the last
accident occurred.