The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-25 00:00:00

A somewhat serious and alarming accident oc-
curred on Sunday evening on the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway to the Great
Northern express train, which left London at 6
p.m., for Sheffield and Manchester. The train con-
sisted of two guards' vans and three first and second
class carriages, and when at a curve between the
Kiveton-park and Woodhouse junction stations,
about eight miles before it reached Sheffield, it ran
off the line. It afterwards proceeded about 100
_

yards,. the wheels of one side being between the two
rails on which the train had been running, and the
other wheels being on the " six foot"—viz., the
space between the up and down lines. While so
running the train turned first against one rail and
then against the other, tearing up and breaking
the rails, and jolting the passengers in a frightful
manner. The rails at this point are laid upon a
somewhat high enbankment, and it is considered
most fortunate that the train did not run off the
rails towards the side of the embankment, as in
that case the consequences must have been most
disastrous. As it was the engine did eventually
roll over, lodging on the side near the top of the
embankment. In the fall the coupling chains were
broken. The carriages, with the exception of the
last van, all fell over, and remained linked together,
were thrown in a very curious shape, one being
across the line of rails and the other on the edge of
the embankment. Immediately the train stopped the
guard on the last van returned to the Kiveton-park
station to prevent any other trains coming up, while
one of the least injured of the passengers walked
forward to the station at Woodhouse Junction and
gave information to the stationmaster there, who
at once telegraphed to Sheffield for assistance. An
engine and carriages, with porters, &c., were
promptly despatched thenceto the scene of disaster.
In the meantime the passengers had succeeded 10
extricating themselves from their uncomfortable
position, some of them having been under the neces-
sity a kicking out the windows to get out of the
carriages. The head guard, whose name is Brad-
ley., was found to be very severely cut and bruised,
and was taken to an adjoining hotel, where he was
attended by Mr. Letall, a neighbouring surgeon.
On Monday morning he was, at his own request,
conveyed back to London, where he resides, in a
first-class carriage, the surgeon being of opinion
that the journey would not do him any harm. The
remainder of the company's servants and all the
passengers were brought forward to Sheffield, where
they arrived between 11 and 12 o'clock. The pas-
sengers numbered about 14, and three of them, who
were most injured, got off at Sheffield, and were
conveyed to the Black Swan Hotel. The rest were
able, to proceed forward to their homes at Manches•
ter and elsewhere. The names of the gentlemell,
who remained at Sheffield are Mr. Campbell, 01
Falwood-park, near Liverpool ; Capt. Collingridge;
and Mr. Millgrove, of London. Mr. Campbell, who
has sustained severe cuts and injuries about the
head, was insensible for some hours, but rallied
during the night, and though confined to bed, le
expected to recover. The other two gentlemeo
are severely but not dangerously injured, botl!
having received severe bruises about the heat!,
and elsewhere. All three have been attended
by Mr. Haxworth, surgeon. Wm. Mills and Wm.
Spriggs, of Peterborough, the driver and stoker;
were taken to the Tunnel Hotel, Sheffield, and
attended by Mr. Parker, surgeon. They are
severely injured internally, and have also received
some rather foul external bruises, but, like the rest!.
are expected to recover. The cause of the accidco
has not yet been positively ascertained, but the
matter is undergoing a searching investigation by
the company's officials. A crank. connected with
the axle of the engine is found to have been brokeuf
and it is thought by some that this may have,
caused the train to run off the line. Others thinl.
that the accident was caused by a defect in the
rails, and that the breakage of the crank was sub"
sequentto the engine running off the line, but 00
this point all is uncertainty. The rails war°
thoroughly repaired a few months ago, and were,
supposed to be in excellent condition. It is stated
by some that the train was behind time at Retford,
and was running at the rate of 50 or 60 miles a°
hour to make up, but this is denied by the corn'
pany's servants, who say that it was going at 115
usual speed of about 40 miles an hour. The curve
in the line is supposed to have had some influence
in causing the accident. The engine and tender are
much broken, the funnel and other parts being
severed as with a sharp instrument. The carriages
are also much broken, the ends and sides of severe,'
being smashed in, the wheels and springs bent ane,',
strained, &c. It is strange, though fortunate, that
no one was killed, especially when the speed of the,
train is taken into account. One line was cleared
so as to allow of the resumption of traffic durinq
Sunday night, but the other was still obstructed a'
a late hour yesterday.