The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 3, 1861.

than that, aceordinc, to their statement, but guards
and drivers always have a tendency to put the time
later rather than earlier—to take the minute rather
than give it. I believe it almost impossible for Mr.
Legg to have done what he did and started one
train three minutes after the other. I think the
interval must have been greater than the guards
and drivers put it at. We have never thought it
desirable that a book should be kept of the starting
of the trains at Brighton: Distance between trains
is a greater safeguard by far than time. I have
never yet been able to satisfy myself that the elec-
tric telegraph is a certain means of preventing acci-
dents. I find that the drivers come to have more
confidence in the working of the telegraph, which
they cannot see, than 'in the signals, which they
can see and ought to observe. The most perfect
electric telegraph is so liable to mistakes on the part
of those who work it that I am not satisfied of its
safety by itself. If I had been asked the day before
the occurrence I should have said that an accident
at the Clayton tunnel was impossible. It
would, pernaps, be better to have two needles
and two instruments for the up and down
line, but where you have two instruments in a box
a man would be more liable to make mistakes than
if he had only one. The operation is so simple that
it can hardly be said to tax the signalman's memory.
We use the telegraph in the tunnels in case of a
train coming to a standstill, and not because a tun-
nel is more dangerous. I think the tunnel is safer
than the rest of the line. I don't think you are so
likely to have a break down in a tunnel as on other
parts of the line. Obstructions, for example, are
frequently placed on other parts of the line, but the
tunnels are free from this source of danger.
Captain Tyler—Perhaps it would be as well not
to draw attention to it. (A laugh.)
By the Foreman—lt was the duty of the head
guard to prevent the engine-driver (Scott) from
backing his train (the second) to the mouth of the
tunnel, if it were possible. He might not be able
to prevent it, but if he did not do what he could to
prevent the driver backing to the mouth of the
tunnel he was decidedly wrong. He would be
acting against the rules in backing the train to the
mouth of the tunnel without orders from the guard.
I am entirely responsible for the adoption of this
particular distance signal used at the Clayton tunnel.
It is an invention of Mr. Whitworth's, and puts the
signal on by the train passing over it, leaving the
signalman to take it off.
By Mr. Merry, a juryman—I think it probable
that if the distance signal had acted as it should
have done in the first instance, or failing, if the
signalman had put it on, the accident would not
have happened.
The witness was also examined by Mr. Stuckey,
Mr. Read, Mr. Pook, and Mr. Fryer, but his evi-
dence was in no respect shaken.
By Mr. Faithfull—This is the first accident in a
tunnel that has happened on the Brighton line. I
believe our system of signals is tt.e best that can be
devised, but we are quite willing to consider any
improvements that could be made in it. We and
other railway companies used to close our doors five
minutes before the departure of the trains. The
outcry of the public was, however, so great that we
were obliged to abandon it, and if we were to re-
vert to that practice the daily papers would be full
of letters against it. (A laugh.) The increase in
the number of passengers on the line from 2,500,00 v
to 9,500,000, or thereabouts, is principally in our
suburban traffic. There has been no great increase
in our Brighton traffic proper for several years. The
number of trains on the main line running into
Brighton in August, 1852, was 16; the number in
the corresponding month of 1861 was 21 trains.
By Captain Tyler—l do not say that trains do
not gain on each other, but we have it in evidence
that they do net run faster than the rates mentioned
in the time-table. As a rule our Brighton trains
do not get into speed until they get into the Clay-
ton tunnel . lam still of opinion that a longer in-
terval elapsed between the departure of the second
and third trains than three or four minutes. The
witness explained, in correction of a former part of
his evidence, that the number of trains passing Kil-
lick's station would only be one-third greater than
it was four years ago.
The inquiry, after occupying eight hours, was
then again adjourned.