The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-28 00:00:00

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

An accident of a very fearful character, and attended
with loss of life, oocurred at the Church Fenton station,
on the North-Eastern Railway, at about a quarter past
12 o'clock on Saturday morning. The occasion of the
c.Ltastrophe was a goods train from York running into
a heavy passenger train from Market IN eighton.
A special train left Market Weighton about 10 o'clock
for Wetherby, conveying passengers who had bean at-
tending the agricu;tural show held at Market Weighton.
The train, which was a very long one, consisting of
about 20 carriages, arrived at Church Fenton station
about a quarter-past 12 o'clock, and it was necessary for
the train to be shunted in order to get on to the Church
Fenton and Harrowgate branch. Tee engine pushed
the train back for this purpose, and the end of the train
went a!ong soma portion of the up line from York to
Leede. J ust at this moment a goods-train from York
dashed into it, shivering one second and three third class
carriages into fragments, khling two of the passengers
and injuring about 14 others, some of them very
seriously.
Mr. Copeland, of Clifford-cum-Bostom, a farm hind, a
man apparently about 50 years of age, was killed on the
spot, and his body, when found, presented a dreadfully
mangled and mutilated appearance. Mr. Godfrey Bra-
ham, landlord of the Railway Hotel, Tadcaster, had his
skull fractured, and received other it)jut les, which caused
his death in about an hour afterwards. Mrs. Braharn,
his wife, also received a severe cut on the head, but her
injuries, it is hoped, will not prove fatal. Mr. Water-
house, jun., of Tadcaster, received some internal and
other injuries of a serious character, and but slight hopes
are entertained of his recovery. The other persons who
received serious hurts are Mr. Heptonstall, of Clifford ;
Mr. Jackson, of Tadcaster, leg broken ; and Mr. T.
Robinson, of Stutton. The names of the other sufferers
we were unable to learn.
In addition to the two unfortunate men who were
killed, about 14 persons were more or less injured, but
the remainder of the passengers, who numbered in all
between 40 and 50, escaped without sustaining anything
beyond a mere shock.
The engine of the goods-train was completely over-
turned and crushed, but the driver of the engine and the
fireman miraculously escaped, almost without injury,
the fireman being merely scalded at the back of the
neck. The guard of the goods-train was thrown upon
his face, which was cut, and the driver of the passenger-
train also received some injuries:
With as little delay as possible medical assistance was
obtained. Mr. Scott, of Sherb urn, was sent for,and arrived
in a short time, and Dr. Williams came from York in a
special train. These gentlemen, assisted by Mr. Lewis,
of Sherburn, and other medical gentlemen, did every-
thing they could for the unfortunate sufferers, all of
whom, with the exception of Mr. Waterhouse, were re-
moved to tneir respective homes about 3 o'clock by spe-
cial train.

Mr. Waterhouse was taken to the Railway Commer-
cial Hotel; where he at present lies, and, as already
stated, without much chance of his recovery. The re-
mains of the persons who were killed were placed in
two of the rooms at the station to await a coroner's in-

quest.
In addition to the four carriages shattered to pieces,
two cattle trucks, forming a portion of the goods train,
were also broken up, and the different pieces of the
carriages were scattered about the line in every direc-
tion. The rails were torn up for a considerable dis-
tance.

With regard to the cause of the accident it appears
that the goods train was expected about the time it ar-
rived, and either the person whose duty it was to signal
to the driver that the line was clear or otherwise must
have neglected to do so, or the driver must have disre-
garded the signal or not observed it.

The following official account is from the secretary :
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

"North-Eastern Railway.—Secretary's-office,
York, July 26.
"Sir,—•lt is with vouch regret that I have to inform
you of a serious accident which occurred on tbis rail-
way about half-past 12 o'clock this morning. While a
passenger train was stopping at the Church Fenton eta
tion a merchandise train came up from York, and
ran into it, cau.ting the following casualties :
"John Copeland, farm servant, Clifford, near Thorp-
arch—killed ; Mr. Brabant, innkeeper, Tadcaster—
killed ; Mrs. Brabant, wife of the abovo—head cut and
concussion of the brain ; Mr. Jackson, tallow chandler,
Tadcaster—leg broken ; Mr. Heptonstall, farmer,
Thorp-arch—arm broken ; Mr. Waterhouse, jun., tim-
ber merchant, Tadcaster —internal injury ; Mr. Nichol-
son, the constable of Taticaster, Mr. Richardson, of
Brambana, and three or four persons bal also been hurt,
but not severely.
"Mr. Waterhouse remains at the Church Fenton