The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-08 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, THURSDAY MORNING.
FATAL RAILWAY COLLISION.
A collision took place yesterday morning on the
Belfast Junction line of railway, between the down
goods train, which started from Dundalk at 5 a.m.,
and the ballast engine and waggon which wer•
working on the line at Wellington Inn, about five
miles from Newry. The accident—fortunately of-
rare occurrence in the managemen t of Irish railways
—was attended with the loss of one life and serious
injury to three men in the employment of the com-
pany. The following are the only particulars which
have yet come to hand, but a later account adds
that a coroner's jury has found a verdict of man-
slaughter against James Tipping, the engine-driver
of the ballast train :

" Yesterday morniug, at a very early hour, a fatal
accident occurred upon the Dublin and Belfast junc-
tion Railway, by which one lad was killed almost in-
stantaneously and three men were severely injured.
The down goods train left Dundalk, as usual, at 5 a.m.,
and proceeded without interruption to a point 11 miles
distant from its place of departure, and about four miles
on the Dublin side of Newry, where it encountered a,
locomotive and ballast waggon, which were collecting
workmen along the line. The goods train was going
down hill with considerable velocity, and the ballast en.
gine was coming in the direction, likewise at great speed, •
being then running for a siding, to get out of the wayof.,
this very train—there being but a single line of rails at
this point. The ballast truck, or lorry, upon which for-
tunately but four men had then assembled, was in front
of its own engine, and was consequently crushed between
the two advancing locomotives, although these, with
their respective drivers and stokers, sustained but little
injury. The poor workmen, however, were thrown off
in every direction, and the lad that was killed, who was
about 17 years of age, was almost cut in pieces ; anotht r
of the party sustained concussion of the brain, and the
medical men deemed it prudent not to allow of his being
removed to any distance ; he was therefore taken to an
adjacent farm house, and with his surviving fellow-suf-
ferers received every attention which their state re-
quired. The latter were, by their own request, re-
moved in a special train to their homes at Poyntz Pass.
Mr. Bowen, the secretary, was promptly in attend-
ance, having been acquainted with the facts bje tele-
graphic message, and, with the local officials, took a.l the
steps rendered necessary in the situation. The line was,
tleared as soon as possible, and the mail train, after
some delay, was enabled to proceed on its journey.
From the amounts which have yet reached, it would
appear that the goods train reached the scene of the
accident in proper time, and that the ballast train ought
then to have been clear of the train fully 15 minutes ;
as, however, a judicial inquiry is pending, which must
attach blame to somebody, any reflections at present
would be premature.
"Mr. Joshua Michael Magee, coroner for the district,
held an inquest upon the body of the deceased at the-,
Wellington Inn, which had not concluded at half-past 6
o'clock, p.m., whenl the train left."