The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-22 00:00:00

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

' "ANOTHER ACCIDENT ON THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN
RA ILway.—The recently-opened portion of the Northern and
Eastern Railway, on which the late appalling accident took
place, was the scene of another frightful occurrence on 'Tues-
day afternoon,. of a somewhat similar character, and although
it was not attended with such a deplorable loss ot life as the
previous one, yet several of the passengers have received serious
eoesuiions, and the escape of human life may be truly consi-
dered miraculous. It is necessary to state, that since General
Pasley sated at the recent Coroner's inquiry, that it was
highly dangerous for trains to pass over the newly constructed
part of the road, vie., between Bishop's Stortford and Eiy, at
the rate of thirty miles an hour until it was properly consoli-
dated, the Company very promptly lessened the speed ; and
which has been a.lhered to up the present time, making a
difference in the arrival of trains of about an hour at the
several stations. On the morning of Tuesday the usual day
maietrain left the Sltoreditch terminus at half-past eleven
o'clock, and proceeded with safety to Cambridge. After
the necessary stoppaee at that station the train renewed its
course, and on arriving about two miles beyond Waterbeach,
seven miles from Cambridge and the same distance this side
of Ely, the engine ran off the rail on the left side, dragging
the tender and the. whole of the carriages after it. Fortu-
nately this part of the line is a perfect level and the en-
gine had not travelled more than thirty or forty yards over
the ballast before it completely turned over with the tender
into a drain partly full of water. The luggage-ven by the
sudden jerk became detached, and the wheels were perfectly
imbedded, arid thus brought the remainder of the train to a
stand-still. The alarm that immediately ensued amongst the
passengers may be well conceived under the circumstances.
The head guard, who was in his usual seat, on the top of one
of the carriages, perceiving that the engine had run off the
line, jumped from his place on to the road. The etep of his
seat was drieen through the plate-glass window o. a first-class
carriage, in which were seated three ladies, one of whom was
much cut by the glass. The cries of the females are described
to have been of the mast piercing character, ant it was with
some diffieulty that their excited feelings coaid be subdued.
During the confusion a painful alarm was created for the safety
of the en ine-driver and stoker,• as they were seen to be on the
engine when it capsized. To the surprise and gratification of
all, however, the poor fellows, evidently much terrified, were
seen wading through the water in the ditch unhurt. It ap-
pears that as the engine turned over they were thrown some
distance from it into the pool, and were accordingly pre
served. As soon as the affrighted passengers were remelted
from the carriages, messengers were dispatched to Ely and
Waterbeach for the aid of pilot engines in order to replace the
train. In the meanwhile most of the passengers posted on to
Ely, and on the, guard making a strict examination as to what
was likely to have caused the accident, they found about three
inches of metal cut off one of the outer rails at a joint, and on
searching about found the piece, which they took charge of
and brought it up to town yesterday, and delivered it into the
hands ot Mr. Dowling, the superintendent of the line, in order
to assist the official inquiry which will be instituted relative to
the occurrence. On the arrival of the pilot engines, and a
member of assistants, active measures were adopted to raise
and place the carriages on the lice, which, in the course of a few
hours, was accomplished, and at four o'clock the train resumed
its journey to Norwich. To remove the engine and tender
from the ditch by the means then available was perfectly im-
pos.ible, and they were accordingly left. They were both
embedded to a censiderable extent in the ballast. It is said
they wilt remain iii.the same state until inspec'ed by Major-
General Pasley. The guard of the train says that the speed of
the train at the time of the accident was from about twenty to
urstatt heesir thpatlai nn
passengers in the train.
were The
five miles an hour. The carriages were shattered by
the shock, but not to any extent, as they were capable of re-
suming official report
urempoakrtinigif
fur-
ther the
aff
he
hurt, but
inquiries we were intermed that there were some, though
not materially. It is worthy of remark that the Company's
servants afforded every facility to collect the correct particulars
of the unfortunate event, and evinced not the least desire to
hush it me"
The Canzbridge Advertiser says, in reference to the above
accident Most fortunately there were but ten passengers,
and we are able to state, notwithstanding the difficulty we have
had in obtaining authentic information, that no one was se-
riously injured, except one passenger, who received some severe
injuries in the face, although the shock was tremendous, aed
for the moment every one was convulsed with horror and dis-
may. After two or three hours' delay everything was ad•
justed, and the train proceeded on its way, but it is impossible
to describe the niineled sensations of apprehension and horror
which this unfortunate accident has occasioned. It is not, of
course, ou: bueness to regulate the railway, but something
must be done, and that immediately, to insure the safety of
tee public. Better, far better, will it be to return to our old
stage coaches, which, after all, were the glory and admiration
of our town and neighbourhood, till the safety of the railway
is completely and assuredly' ascertained, than to have the lives
and limbs of those who are.nearest and dearest to us continually
in peril.,
ACCIDENTS ON THE NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY.—
An accident occurred last Sunday, at the Derby station, to
the mail train from Leeds, which, though fortunately not
attended with fatal results, was productive of serious injury and
alarm to the passengers. The train had reached the ticket plat-