The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-01 00:00:00

E SUN, LON DON, THURSD AI , DECEMBER 1, 1870.

THE CALAMITOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT

THE WAR.

AT HARROW.
RESUMED INQUEST ON THE BODIES.

THE CAMPAIGN ON THE LOIRE .

The inquest on the bodies of the persons who met their
deaths in the calamitous railway accident on Saturday,
on the London and North-Western line, was resumed
yesterday at the Railway Hotel, Harrow, before
of Dr. Diplock, coroner for the Western Division of
Middlesex. The Coroner asked if any one was present re-
presenting the Board of Trade, and was informed that
Colonel Hutchinson was making a private investigation
into the matter.

A GERMAN INSPECTION.

The Versailles correspondent of the Cologne Gazette says
that several officers of Prince Frederick Charles's staff
made a dash the other night right through the French
lines, north of the Loire, and returned in safety, pro-
tected by a thick fog. "It was then ascertained that the
Army of the Loire, under General Aurelles de Paladine,
occupied the district from Orleans to Artenay, but only
his foreposts were extended as far as the latter place.
The dimity has apparently sought td use the thick
Wood *hldh runs hi a northerly direction from Orleans as
a central point for his operations, and has doubtless con-
sidered it as offering a favourable field for an engagement
with our troops. Extensive earthworks and rifle pits have
been already donstructed, and it is evidently sought to
make the position one of great safety." This report
seems corroborated by accounts from English correspond-
ents. The correspondent of the Telegraph, however, it
will be seen, affirms that the French are advancing,
though they are constructing entrenched camps as they
proceed.

Mr. Blenkinsop, solicitor to the Company, and Mr.
Cawkwell, manager, attended to Watch the proceedings.
Several of the deceased were represented by solicitors.
Dr. Diplack said he thought it better to take the
evidence of witnesses who could give a connected history
of the arrival and departure of the trains from the various
stations.

Thomas Smerdon, foreman of Harrow station, said
he was at the station on Saturday afternoon when
the luggage train came in at 4".12 from Camden. It
passed the down platform, and pulled up about
150 yards north of the station. He could not say whether
it was stopped by signal or not. It was not usual for that
train to stop at Harrow. He heard the break of the
train applied ai it "'wised him, and he ran forward to see.
It was going from about ten to fifteen miles an hour at
the time. He ran forward, jumped upon the enOne, and told
the driver to be quick, or he would stop the Express dead.
He brought the engine back to the train, and the breaks-
man recoupled it. He then gave the driver the signal to
start. He had just started when witness heard the
whistle of the express engine: He called out, "Go
ahead, go ahead." A moment afterwards the express
struck the emptys. He was running by its side. He
jumped over twb hedges to get out of the way, and went
and gave the alarm. It wad very foggy, but did not know
whether there were any fog signals. There were 47
goods trucks, and it was the seventh at which the link
broke. Witness had four men under him. There were two
signalmen besides. He believed all the men were on
duty. They had no right to be away. It was from nine
to ten minutes after the coupling broke before it was
coupled up again. When he said unusual train, he meant
that it was running out Of its time. It should have gone
by about 4.20, and would not then hate shunted at this
station, but at Watford. No goods train went by in
its place. The Wolverton Wood train should have gone
by at 5.5. When the coupling chain broke witness called
out to the signalman. Some one answered " All right."
It farm the signalman, by the sound of his voice. The main
signal was at that time standing at danger. He could not
see the auxiliary signal, as the fog was so thick.
There were fog signals kept in a drawer in the booking
office. There were about 300 yards between the
two separated parts of the train. One half-
minute more would have saved the accident,
as the luggage train would have given the express another
quarter of a mile to have brought up. There wore two
coupling-chains to each waggon, but as there was only one
broken iinlc only one chain could have been coupled. The
train was never punctual to seventeen minutes past five.
Generally, about ten minutes elapsed between the
shunting of the Wolverton train and the going by of the
express.
William Crosham said ho was the driver of the forty-
seven waggons and a break van, on Saturday afternoon.
He left Willesden at 4.55, with directions to shunt at
Harrow for the five o'clock express. He did not notice
the time when he came into Harrow station on account
of his waggons breaking loose. He was signalled to stop
previous to getting to Harrow. Wemberley cutting
signalled him to stop, but he did not see it on account of
the fog. - He stopped as soon as he could, and went back
to know what he was stopped for, when the breaks-
man shouted to him to go on. He then went on to Harrow,
and on getting close saw the station signal at danger. He
saw the distance signal when he was fifteen yards off. but
did not see the main signal until he was five yards off, on
account of the fog. On seeing the policeman's lamp he
turned the the steam off. Her did not stop the train at
Harrow as he was directed by the policeman to shunt,
but he checked the speed. He put on steam again, and
had not gone far when a part of his train gave way. He
kept the steam on to prevent the hinder part coming
against the forward. Witness here gave evidence as to
coupling the waggons in corroborating the statement of
the previous witness.
Mr. Clarke, a juryman, said there was a faulty place
in the link produced. He could see it in a moment, being
a smith.

Witness was going 6 or 7 miles an hour when the
express ran into him. He started from 'Willesden in place
of another train which should have started at 4.50. He
left at 4,55. When he came to Harrow he
considered the main signal should have been green and
not red, then he would not have shut off steam. He
thought this was in consequence of a train preceding him,
and he did not know how far that train was ahead of him,
as it was so foggy, nor did he see any plate layers with
signals.
rrhowas Walker, signalman, said he was on duty at
Harrow Station on Saturday afternoon, at five o'clock, in
the signal box. At 5.12 the signal was at danger, as the
other train had not gone a sufficient time to lower it. In
bright weather he was obliged to keep it up three minutes
and then with caution three minutes. The three minutes
had passed, but he kept his danger signal on to allow the
goods' train to shunt, so that the express might pass. He
, lowered the distance signal to allow the goods' train to
come in. The goods' tram drew np at the box, so that
witness could communicate with the driver. The tail end
of the train, as far as ho could judge, went about
100 yards beyond hie box. He (lid not know
that the train broke in half until he heard some
one call out. This was about 5.13. He blocked his line
to the next man, situated about two mile's off, at Wembly
cutting. He called out for help to got the empty waggon
train into the siding. He called a porter to fetch some
fog signals, and run down and meet the express, which
he did, Witness did this, hearing the express coming.
At that time the goods train had not picked up the loose
wage•ons, which Were staticling still about a hundred
yards from the engine part He heard the express go
over one fog signal, and the driver whistle and apply his
break. He saw the fire fly from the break: He did
not see the collision which was past him. The
fog and the steam prevented him. He had been
[signalman six years,_ four years at Harrow station. He
was not aware of the empty luggage coming, as it was un-
usual. Ordinarily he would lower the signal to green.
This witness had not concluded his evidence when the
inquiry was adjourned until Friday.