The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-28 00:00:00

lin my own mind that the Vile would be perfectly clear
before the ten minutes before three train, the next up,
would start, and never for a moment supposing the least
possibility of a second train being sent off on the wrong
line, without soma previous intimation, or I should never
have put myself in that dangerous situation. We pro-
ceeded with the up-train with great caution, whistling
every thirty or forty yards, until we came in sight of
Beeston station, passing Howitt about 200 yards on this
side of the station. Jerry, the driver, stopped the train
on the departure line. I got on and the train went for-
ward. I crossed the line to the station-house to explain
to Mr. Raven, the station-master, the cause of my com-
ing up on the wrong line, and I said that the two hours
and fifty minutes, or next train, would come up the
right line. Immediately after, Howitt came up per-
spiring very much and quite exhausted. He asked
me for sixpence to go and get some spirits ; I think
he said rum. I referred him to Raven, and he
(Howitt) borrowed something from him and went
to the Victoria Inn. Howitt arrived back at
the station before the arrival of the train from Derby.
Immediately on the arrival of that train I went to the
engine-driver to inform him what had occurred at the
Nottingham station, stating the caution I had used in
coming up, and the same caution he was to observe in
going down. We proceeded slowly on, whistling as we
went. I was watching the' line to see that no person or
anything was on the line, when I called out, " Good God !
there is a train coming, and on our line." The engine-
man did something to his engine and jumped off. I
followed, but, catching my foot, I tumbled over, making
a complete summersault, and lay, for a short time sense-
less. As soon as I recovered I sent the guard to the
Beeston station, to stop the London down-train.
In answer to questions from the jury, the witness said
that Kearsley sent up Howitt to Beeston upon his own
responsibility, for it came within his (Kearsley's) duties.
If a diference of opinion occurred between Kearsley and
witness on the subject of arranging the trains, Kearsley's
authority would be superior. There was no imperative
necessity for getting the train from Beeston. There is a
notification in the office that the Company do not guarantee
the arrival of the trains at the time specified in the time-
bills. It was certainly not stated in my hearing that
Howitt was to stop all the down trains until two up trains
arrived. Witness only recollected Howitt asked for six-
pence, but did not remember anything further having been
said to him by Howitt. He (witness) felt quite satisfied
that when he was coming to Nottingham there was no
possibility of a second train coming up the wrong line
against him. Witness left no instructions as to the second
train coining on the wrong line, for he was convinced that
the second train could go on its own right line, as he be-
lieved that the obstruction of the tender might be removed
in time. Witness had no conversation with Raven as to
the propriety of coming back previous to the collision, and
the reason he went so slowly, being off his own line, was
on account of the fog. When witness arrived at Beeston,
and gave notice to stop the trains, he considered that he
had done his duty. The driver of the train on which the
witness came towards Nottingham from Beeston, fre-
quently blew his whistle. Witness thought the tender
might be removed in time to clear up the line, for he
never saw a tender require more than half an hour to
clear, but in this case the water flowed out of the tender,
and washed away the earth which was under the rails, and
supporting them. The result of this was, that the rails,
not having due support, became bent, and that was the
cause of the unusual delay in getting the rails adjusted.
Witness had seen worse cases of tenders and of engines,
which are much heavier, getting off the rails, and they
had been remedied in less time than this occupied. Wit-
ness was convinced from his experience that the tender
would be on the line in time for the second train. When
witness saw the engine removed from the tender, he
conceived that the principal danger was over, and be said
to the men engaged in removing the tender, " Now you
will be soon all right." Witness did not, to his know-
ledge, ever ride on the engine of a passenger train before.
Witness understood that there was a direction to stop
the trains coming towards Nottingham until the next
up-train had gone up, but he heard nothing at all, and
gave no directions as to stopping the down-trains till the
two next up-trains passed.
The CORONER here read an extract from the evidence
of Hewitt, who was the man that was sent to Beeston
with the direction to stop the trains down until the next
up-train arrived. Hewitt stated that he gave the mes-
sage at Beeston to stop the down-trains till the next up-
train arrived. He did not say " till two up-trains ar-
rived," for he was not sure that two trains would come
up. It, however, occurred to him afterwards that another
train might start on the wrong line.
Mr. Lightfoot's examination was then continued.—
Witness would not, of course, have proceeded back to
Nottingham with the down-train which came into colli-
sion, it he supposed that there was any possibility of a
second train coming up on the wrong line. The guard
of a train could refuse to go on the wrong line, fur ho is
the master of the train, and he could refuse to go. The
engineman must obey the orders of the guard, so that,
if the guard want on the wrong line, the responsibity of
doing so would be on the guard. Witness is master until
the guard gets the dispatches, but when the guard gets
the dispatches the responsibility is immediately removed
to him. Witness had no authority beyond the station.
Howitt ought not to have gone with the message without
letting witness know, for he (Howitt) is the servant of
witness, and not of the engineer. Witness gives the
dispatches to the guard, without which the train cannot
go, but the guard starts it.
The CORONER—You, then, really start the train, for
the guard cannot go without your permission ? Witness
-No, the guard starts the train.
The CoitoNzn—lt might as well be said that the en-
gineman starts his train. You do not put your hand to
it, but the guard cannot go on until he gets the dispatches
from you.
Witness continued—He said that he went to Beeston
under the direction of his superior, Mr. Youle. Witness
never heard Raven say to him that if he went down he
would have a mess of it. He is quite sure that:if Raven had
said so to him he must have heard it. Witness cannot
exactly say whether or not he should have gone to
Beeston. Kearsley sent Howitt to Beeston without
witness's knowledge. If Kearsley had asked witness
whether he should send the second up-train on the
wrong line, witness should have said certainly not. Wit-
ness did not think it ,likely that Kearsley would send
two trains on the wrong line, for he was a cautious man,
although on this day he erred in judgment. Both trains
were sent on the wrong line by Kearsley, in whose de-
partment that duty lies.
The witness was under examination when our report
left.

An inquest is also in progress at Lenton, before Mr.
C. Swann, coroner for South Nottinghamshire, to in-
quire into the circumstances attending the death of Mr.
W. Varnalls. The evidence was, however, so precisely
of the same character as that given at the other inquest,
that it is unnecessary to repeat it. At the time that our
report left the inquiry was not concluded.