The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-11 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

LOSS OF SIX LIVES AND NUMBERS OF PER-
SONS WOUNDED.
Last evening considerable anxiety and consternation
prevailed at the terminus of the Great Western Rail-
way, Paddington, in consequence of the non-arrival of
the express 124 P.M. train from Exeter, which should
have reached the station at 44 P.M. No information of
its approach having been received up to six o'clock, very
paintul fears were excited that some disaster had at-
tended it in its progress to the metropolis, and which,
unfortunately, shortly after that hour, proved to be too
true, as a communication was forwarded by electric tele-
graph from Slough, that the train had met with a most
disastrous collision at) the Shrivenham station, which is
about 70 miles from town, on the other side of the Swin-
don station. Our informant upon receiving information
of the unfortunate occurrence immediately proceeded to
the Paddington station, and had an interview with some
of the officials of the establishment, from whom he
succeeded in obtaining the following account of the
circumstances of the accident. It appeared that the
train consisted of two first-class carriages, four second-
class carriages, which were drawn by an engine (the
Sultan) and tender. Next to the engine was a luggage
van, which was followed by a second-class carriage, that
was unusually full of passengers. The train started at
about twenty-five minutes to one o'clock, being five
minutes after the usual time. It was driven at the usual
speed, which is between forty-five and fifty miles an hour,
a speed which is faster than that of express trains on
any other line. Its progress was uninterrupted till on
its approach at the Shrivenham station, where it is
stated that the signal was given by the signal telegraph
that the line was clear, in consequence of which the
speed was continued, as this station is passed by the ex-
press train. At this part of the line there is a branch
t 1 e im°artsi'e
rail for turning off the carriages. At the angle of
offwdiivtehrgaetnrcaeckoaftttahcehed,
olainewhwiaahs
wasen a emptygen I :beoaxr:
riage, which, it is supposed, just overlapped the main
up line, as a collision took place, ,the effect of which
was, that the engine struck the horse box,
owing to the velocity with which the
greasing, the horse-box, with the t train was pro-
round, when, in a moment, the ruck, were swung
which was connected with the 1 second-class carriage,
of the engine, was dashed toti in the rear
pieces, and the unfortunate
passengers were flung out •
in every direction, the
shrieks and exclamations
palling. The driver of among
whom were most ap-
avoid the collision, used the engine, who was unable to
the utmost exertions to arrest
the progress of the train, and he promptly reversed the
engine. lie fortuto prevent any n
ately
checked the speed sufficiently
other carriage of the train being thrown
over, the second
carriage being the only one which went
off the line. Upon returning back to to the Shrivenham
appalling spectacle was presented, as
station, a most the line was strewed with the wreck of the carriage, while a
number of the passengers, wounded and dying, were
lying in different parts, to whom every assistance was
being afforded by the servants of the company and by
others who had arrived at the station, having heard
.of
the disastrous occurrence. It was, unfortunately,diosi
covered that four of the passengers exhibited no signs
they are
life, and two others were so seriously injured that
those
who
stated to have died shortly after their removal-Awnthe
were wounded were conveyed in carriages to
of medical
Swin-
don station, for the better accommodation_
ichere was only
advice, which was promptly receire it)
jury, aad who
one passenger who received no serious
rrar.
It's unneees-
was seated in one corner of theca i
prevailed among the
sary to say, that the greatest alarms
pre Sultan received
in the other carriage :
provided from
passengers
other engine was
so much injury that an
of conveying the train to Pad.
Swindon, for the p rp
- ui, oasrerived there a few minutes after
and whic-
dington,
about two hours and a half beyond
seven o'clock,
being
the information being obtained at
its usual tinie. On,
Clarke and other officials
• Mr. Seymour
the terminus,
connected with the establishment, proceeded to the scene
of the accident to afford every proper assistance. Fromall accounts, there is no doubt that the horse-box had
been negligently loft at the point where the accident
occurred by some of the servants at the station.
General Sir Alexander Mackenzie had a most fortu-
nate escape. He was travelling in the train when the
deplorable accident occurred. The carriage immediately
in front of that in which the General sat, as well as that
directly behind it, were smashed to pieces. We are glad
to find that the General escaped without • • any injury, and
arrived in town last evening. His servant was unfortu-
nately kiUsd.