The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-29 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE
NORTH KENT RAILWAY.

A fearful accident took place last night, about
half-past ten o'clock, near the Lewisham station of
the North Kent Railway. The particulars of this
unfortunate accident, so far as we could learn, are
these :—While an uptrain was stopping a short dis-
tance beyond the Lewisham station a train from
Maidstone came up suddenly, and dashed into the
stationary train. The break-van of the Maidstone
train was forced on to the top of the last third-class
carriage of the forward train, and was completely
wedged into it. It was some time before the un-
fortunate passengers could be extricated. Dr.
Roberts, of Sydenham, who happened to be the
only surgeon in the train which caused the mischief,
gave every possible assistance to the injured per-
sons. It could not be exactly ascertained how
many persons were killed, but Dr. Roberts informed
our reporter he saw three women and one man dead.
The number of persons more or less injured
amounts probably to 30. There are 20 cases
at St. Thomas's Hospital. A train which arrived
about 1 o'clock this morning at the London-bridge-
station brought seven or eight persons, who were
taken to the hospital, and a succeeding train in
about an hour brought several more. Some of these
passengers were so much injured that they gave no
sign of life. It was stated, but we do not know if the
statement be correct, that the train which was run
into did not exhibit a light, and that no signal had
been made to denote that there was a train stopping
between the Blackheath and Lewisham stations.
Another account of the accident which has been
sent to us says :

" The lives of no less than 11 passengers have
been sacrificed, and nearly 40 persons are more or
less injured."

LATEST PARTIOULARS.--(THIS DAY.)
The announcement of a terrible accident on the
North Kent Railway last night, by which a num-
ber of persons have been killed and a groat
many others grievously wounded, may be thus
briefly told !—Tim grindAy traffic on the Nor+i,
Kent Railway is very 'heavy, and for the neces-
sary accommodation of persons returning from
Gravesend, and other places of holiday resort, it is
usual to run two late trains at short intervals-
-9.15 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.—from Strood to London.

This line of railway is worked on Tyer's electric signal
system, the simple explanation of which is, that the
station-master at one station must not allow a com-
ing train to pass before the last departed train has
been telegraphed clear of the next station. This
system properly carried out would prevent the pos-
sibility of accident. How, therefore, the present
disaster has occurred, we have now to explain.
The 9.15 p.m. train from Strood left at its ap-
pointed hour, and passed through Blackheath with-
out anything occurring to arrest its progress ; but,
on nearing the Lewisham station, which is only one
mile from Blackheath, the driver found the signals
against him, and pulled up the train just before
coming to the platform. The signals were kept en,
and the second guard was sent back with his red
lamp to prevent the possibility of the expected 9.30
p.m. up-train coming upon them. Several passen-
gers alighted, but the large majority observing the
precautions which bad been taken, kept their seats
in fancied security, until suddenly, and without
more than a few seconds warning, the 9.30 p.m.
train was heard rushing towards them. Before any
movement of the dead train could be effected by its
own engine-driver, the coming train ran into violent
collision with it. The effect was perfectly frightful.
The engine of the 9.30 p.m. train struck the break
van of the 9.15 p.m. train with a force so great that
it lifted the ponderous machine off the rails to a level
with the body of the next carriage—an open third
class, filled with passengers—along which it swept,
doubling up and crushing to death almost all the_
unhappy occupants, and seriously injuring those
who escaped with their lives.

For a few moments the- energies of all the persons
near the station were completely paralysed by the
horrors of the scene before them. But as soon as
the dreadful character of the accident was ascer-
tained assistance was sent for, and the best means at
hand were adopted to extricate the wounded and
the dead. Mr. Eborall, the manager of the South-
Eastern Railway, who resides at Lee Park, was soon
on the spot,, personally directing the exertions of
a large number of labourers and others, who had
been pressed into the service at the moment the
accident occurred. The sufferings of some of the
injured persons are described to have been most
excruciating, until death put an end to their pain.
One man who is stated to have been nearly severed
in twain sustained existence three hours. The
medical men for miles around were summoned to
the spot, and they gave all the relief in their power
to the cases, recommending such as it seemed best
should be sent on to St. Thomas's Hospital, and
doing what was needful for others.

As soon as the dead and injured were removed
from off the line, Mr. Eborall with Mr. Knight,
superintendent of the railway, proceeded to in-
quire into the cause of the accident, and after a
careful investigation, -Mr. Eborall felt it his duty
to give the driver of the 9.30 p.m. up-train, a man
named Perry, into custody, on a charge of having
wilfully caused the accident by negligent driving.
To what extent this man may be to blame it might
at present be difficult to determine ; but, one thing
is quite certain, viz., that the danger signals both
at the Lewisham station and at the distant-post
were dead against him, and that the guard of
the previous train had gone back with his red
lamp more than 200 yards. It is therefore
clear he was acting in direct opposition to the
company's printed rules in not having pulled up
his train before he reached the Lewisham station,
and this fact will be more palpable when it is ex-
plained that the Lewisham signals are distinctly
visible from the Blackheath station, where Perry
had last stopped his train.
But apart from the blame which must attach to
the engine-driver, there are, unfortunately, other
officers of the company whose conduct will require
the strictest investigation, and these are the clerks
in charge of the telegraph signals at the Blackheath
and Lewisham stations. Every clerk is bound to
enter in a book kept by him for the purpose the
rec:ipt and despatch of all messages referring to the
working of the trains. Thus, if the 9.15 p.m.
train had passed the Lewisham station, and that

fact liad,,been certified back to Blackheath, a re-
cord should appear in the Blackheath book of

the receipt of such a message, and in the Lewis-
ham book of its despatch. In pursuing his in-
quiries during the night Mr. Eberall, on examin-
ing the Blackheath book, found a written entry,
to the* effect that the 9.15 p.m. train had been
telegraphed clear of Lewisham, which, if correctly
entered, would have justified the Blackheath
station-master in all Owing the 9.30 p.m. trail' to
proceed. On referring to the Lewisham book,
Mr. Eborall found that no entry of having for ►
-
wardt.d such a message appeared. The Lewisham
station-master denied having telegraphed the line
clear, and in corroboration of his-statement directed
attention to the index of his instrum nt' which, by
au ingenious contrivance, points out on the face of
the dial the last message tr :nsmited, and in this
case it was—" Line blocked." Iu further proof of
the correctness of the latter statement it m.y be
mentioned that it has been ascertained fr.in the
New Cross clerk that at the time the accident oc-
curred he had not telegraphed Lewisham his own
station clear of the 10.25 p.m. Mid Kent train from
13,.ckenham, and that therefore Lewisham could it( t
have been in a position to signal his station char to
Blackheath. The subject will of course form an
important feature in the inquiry which must take
place as to the cause of the accident.
The following terrible ca al ague describes the
present result of this awful accident, which in the
nu tuber of lives destroyed, exceeds in fatality any
previous railway uisualty on either of the lines
having termini in London : .