The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-14 00:00:00

NES.

ALARMING ACCIDENT.

On Saturday evening an accident which might
have been attended with most disastrous results
took place at the Gateshead station of the North
Eastern Railway. The train which was the subject
of the unfortunate occurrence was that from the
South, due at Newcastle about half-past 10 o'clock.
Being a mail, and it being the practice for it to stop
only occasionally at Gateshead, it is supposed that
in the present instance it had been intended to put
down some passengers at that station, and for this
purpose the steam had been slackened at the usual
distance from the point of landing. The engine pro-
ceeded on its regular course until within about 50
yards from the station, when from some cause un-
explained the fore axietree gave way. Alarming
and serious were the consequences which ensued.
In the half-shattered state to which it was now re-
duced it continued on its way, tearing up the rails
and chairs as it went. So matters went on until the
bridge across Hill-street was reached—a stone struc-
ture of great strength and at a considerable height
from the ground. Adjoining this part of the line,
too, is the station, a flat-roofed building, covered
with lead, and between five and six feet from the
level of the rails. It was now about a quarter to 11
o'clock, the train being nearly 15 minutes behind
its specified time. Grazing slightly the wall as it
passed along, it rushed violently against the bridge.
knocking down a portion of the parapet, the stones
falling thick and fast upon the streets beneath.
Checked happily in its further progres3 by the lug-
gage line of rails which intersect the passenger ones,
the engine, with equally heavy force, dashed upon
the roof of the first-class waiting room, there stick-
ing fast in a partially inverted position. The shock
to the entire building was immense. A chimney on
the top was completely demolished, and the weight
of the rubbish penetrated to the luggage room on the
basement flat of the station. One of the broken
wheels fell into the street, and the other shdrtly af-
terwardefollo wed a similar course. It is some gratifica-
tion to state that with all this damage to property
there has been no sac-ifice of human life. The
station master, Mr. Allison, had just gone to call a
cab for a gentleman who he expected by the train,
and fortunately he escaped without injury. Singu-
larly enough, also, notwithstanding the severe con-
cussion which they must have sustained, the car-
riages, of which there was about a dozen of the first
and second class, retained their position on the line;
and, indeed, with the exception of the broken por-
tion, the engine kept its place. At the most perilous
moment, the engineman, named Thomas Brown, and
the fireman, also stuck to their post; and both got
off uninjured. A similar good fortune extended to
the passengers, whom, apart from a temporary shake
which it occasioned, the accident scarcely affected.
Among them was the rector of Gateshead Fell, the
Rev. W. Atkinson. The unfortunate engine con-
sisted of three cylinders, and was built by the late
George Stephenson. The engineman of whom it was
in charge has been several years in the employment
of the company, and has never, we understand, met
with an accident before. The affair will doubtless
furnish sufficient cause for invest igation .—Netocastle
Chronicle.