The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-01 00:00:00

THE LATE COLLISION ON THE

LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.

The following official report from Mr. Creed, the secretary
of the London and Birmingham Railway, has been forwarded
to MroLaing, the secretary of the Railway Department of the
Board of Trade :

" To S. Laing, Esq., Railway Department of the Board 01
Trade.

" Euston station, July 29, 1845.
" Sir,—The Lancashire mail, which is timed to arrive at the
Euston station at 32 minutes past 5 a.m., entered the Camden
station at 5 a.m., as the first goods' train from London was
crossing the down line to proceed on its journey. The conse-
quence was a collision, which forced the engine, tender, and
parcels' van, in front of the mail train, off the rails, injuring
some of the waggons and carriages, and causing a fracture in
the leg of one of the passengers in a second-class carriage, and
several severe cuts on the face and head to another passenger.
by the breaking of the glass of the coupe of a first-class carriage
in which he was riding, with his face to the engine. It does
not appear that any more passengers were injured.
" In reporting these occurrences for the information of the
Lords of the Privy Council for Trade, I would invite their
attention to the following facts :
" 1. That the mail train arrived at the Camden station
fifteen minutes before its time.

"2. That the goods' train, on the other hand, was fifty
minutes later than its regular time of departure (owing to the
unusual number of trains which were to be conveyed).
" 3. That although the policeman at Chalk.farm-bridge had
turned on the red signal, when the goods' train began to move,
there was so much fog that the driver of a train coming out of
the tunnel could not well have seen the signal, and consequently
that in not going forward to communicate with the policeman
at the south end of the tunnel, according to orders provided
for these cases, the policeman at the bridge failed in the per-
formance of his duty."

General Pasley was expected down in the course of yester-
day. to inspect the spot where the catastrophe occurred. The
engine, lugagge van, and first carriages, were completely shat-
tered to fragments. The blame is conceived to be chiefly at-
tributable to the trains being " ill-timed." The signal-man at
Chalk-farm-bridge has occupied that post, it appears, for the
last seven years.

_rim LATE COLLISION ON THE
SOUTII-EASTERN RAILWAY.
EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DRIVEL
Wednesday afternoon, at two o'clock, Capt. Charlewood, R.N.,
of the South-Eastern Railway Company, attended the Court-house,
Tunbridge, before Mr. Hare, one of the county magistrates, to
prosecute Joseph Walker, an engine driver in the employ of the
Company,for negligently causing the collision on that line, at the
Penshurst station, on Monday night, whereby the lives of nearly
300 persons were endangered.
The defendant, who appears to be about 30 years of age, was
brought up in custody of the railway police, under whose surveil-
lance he had been since the night of the accident.
The first witness, William Merchant, was then examined.—He
said he was a porter at the railway station at Tunbridge. On Monday
evening last, on the arrival at that station ofthe half-past six o'cluck
up train from Dover, he was asked by the guard whether the
back carriage or truck, on which a gentleman's carriage for
that station, was unoccupied. He replied that he did not
know, and went to ascertain, when he found it was not, and then
detached it. Scarcely had he done so, before a gentleman called
him to take his portmanteau into the waiting-room, which he did,
and returned to the platform. He then heard some one call out to
guard Shelley, " Was it all right behind ?" The reply given
was, " Yes," and the whistle was immediately sounded and the
train :proceeded. Witness, knowing that the signal lights were
on the carriage which he detached, ran to the last car-
riage of the train to see if they had been shifted to their
proper places, but found that they had not, and that the train was
going on without them. It was de very long train, comprising
snore than thirty carriages, and was drawn by two engines in ad-
vance. The moment he saw that the train was without the signal
lights he gave the alarm to the watchman, who held up his red
lamp to the engine drivers to stop, but the train being considerably
in advance, it was not noticed.
Mr. Hare wished to know whether there was an engine at the
rear of the train propelling it, as he had heard that such was the
case ?
The witness replied that most decidedly there was not. The
only engines that conveyed the train were in front.
In continuation, he said that the head porter of the station,
named Goodman, ordered immediately a pilot engine then stand.
ing below the station, of which the defendant was the driver, to
take the signal-lights and overtake the train. Witness took the
message as directed to the defendant, who made answer that he
had no coke. Some was directly obtained, and, being placed in
the tender, the engine started.
By Captain Charlewood—The defendant was perfectly sober,
and he observed no recklessness when he left the station. He did
not think that more than five minutes elapsed from the period of
the departure of the train to that of the pilot engine.
The defendant here asked the witness what lights he bid him
take with the engine that the train had gone without P—The wit-
ness replied that he most distinctly informed him that they were the
tail lights.
The defendant denied it. He was told by the witness that it was
the engine light he had to take.
The witness, however, persisted in his former statement, and ob-
served that other witnesses were in attendance, who told the de.
fendant that they were tail signal lights.
Richard Goodman, the head porter, proved ordering the pilot
engine to overtake the train, which had lett without the tail lights.
It was not dark, about dusk, the time being forty.nine minutes
past eight o'clock. The order was to go as far as Penshurst station
to overtake the train.
George Smithers, another porter at the Tunbridge station, said
directly the traits was gone he was directed by the last wit-
ness to desire the defendant to proceed after it with the pilot
engine, as it had gone without the lights. He was positive he
told him they were the tail lights. While the coke was being
placed in the tender, he took one of the lamps of the private
carriage truck that had been left behind, and placed it on the ten.
der. He then got up, and while placing it on one side, in order
that it should not be knocked over, another man brought the other
lamp, and on taking it from him the engine started.
Captain Charlewood asked the witness if the defendant could
not have seen by their appearance that they were the taillights T.—
The witness considered that he must have seen them, as they were
the very large ones, having red glass, very bright, and stood
in a conspicuous spot in the tender. The speed the engine
was driven at he thought was about thirty miles an hour. It might
have been faster. They left five minutes after the train, and
gained the Penshurst station almost at the same moment as the
train did. Before, however, and on arriving at the Whitepost
tunnel, the defendant sounded the whistle and shut off the steam,
and after a short pause, remarked to witness, "The train is not
here. I don't see it; we must go on to the station," and then turned
the steam on. The station at Penshurst adjoins the Whitepost tunnel,
and from the spot at the entrance of it, where the defendant said he
could not see the train, to the station, is about 300 yards. A few
moments had scarcely transpired before the train was seen, when
the defendant shut off the steam and reversed the engine, as well
as put on the break; the engine, however, never stopped, and
dashed into the train.
Mr. Benjamin Cubitt, the locomotive engineer of the South-Eas-
tern Railway, was next examined at much length. He said that
he was in the train in question, and on his stopping at Penshurst,
which was about nine o'clock, he was alarmed by receiving a se-
vere shock, as if the train had been ran into behind. The train,
he should say, had scarcely come to a stand-still, and
the concussion was very great. He immediately got out,
and went to the after part of the train to ascer-
tain the cause, and was surprised at finding an engine close in
amongst the carriages. His first abject was to seek out the driver,
whom he found to be the defendant, and asked him how it oc-
curred that he had run into the train ? His reply was, that he,
She defendant, had been sent on to overtake the train, it having
gone without the lights. He, Mr. Cubitt, then examined the
hind carriage, to see if it had got the signal lights, and perceived
that it had none,
Mr. Hare, the Chairman—Do you consider it a judicious step
on the part of the officers at the Tunbridge station to send a pilot
engine to overtake the train in the manner which has been de-
scribed ?
Mr. Cubitt, after a pause—l do not think it was an improper
step, but it was quite a new order to our regulations.
Mr. Hare—Was it not likely, in dispatching the pilot engine so
soon after the train, to incur injury ?
Mr. Cubitt—The case is one of that character that I do not
recollect of a similar one occurring before. Of course, if caution
was not used, there was danger.
Mr. Hare—Then what was the risk, supposing tho officers had
not sent off the pilot engine ?
Mr. Cubitt—No risk at all on the Dover line; but on reaching
the junction of the Brighton line at Reigate, where so many trains
meet, there was considerable danger.
Mr. Hare—Then was it wrong for the officers at Tunbridge to
dispatch the pilot engine ?
Mr. Cussitt--No, not exactly; but certainly the lights would
have been missed at the Penshurst station, arid they would have
been replaced. If the guard had done his duty before the train left
Tunbridge he would have seen that the lights were properly fixed,
for he is expected to examine them and the carriages at all the
stations the trains stop at.
Mr. Hare said he was glad to hear that the officer at Tun-
bridge had not acted wrongly in dispatching the engine, for he
had done so to prevent mischief.
Mr. Cubitt, in continuation of his evidence, stated that the engine
driver was bound to obey the order of the officer of the station.
Taking all the circumstances that had been adduced Into con.
sideration, he was decidedly of opinion that had a proper
look-hut been kept by the engine driver,`the train in advance must
been seen a much greater distance than had been stated. As re.
garded the speed the engine was propelled at, he could not state,
but it must have been considerable, as the collision happened within
ten minutes after leaving Tunbridge, a distance of about five miles.
Certainly the engine-driver ought to have exercised greater judg-
ment en arriving so near the Penshurst station, so that he could
have more promptly stopped the engine. It was but justice to state
that the defendant had been about twelve months in the service
of the company, during which period he had driven both pilot and
passenger trains, and they had always found him a sober, steady
driver.
Captain Charlewood, in answer to the bench, said that the num-
ber of persons known to be injured were three; these were Mr.
Haines, 131, Cheapside, compound fracture of the leg near the
ancle, the mother of a guard, recently killed on the line,
dislocation of the right jaw; and a talented painter (a baronet),
slight injury to the spine. There were a number of persons of
both sexes
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Mr. Hare then inquired if there was any further evidence on
both
the acc i dent.
the part of the prosecution P
Mr. Cubitt replied that there was not.
The defendant being called upon for his defence, remarked that
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starting with the pilot engine, that the lights in question were those
of the engines, otherwise he should have proceeded with greater
caution. He never supposed but what the train had the tail signal.
lights, and consequently was on the look out for them. In proof
of his statement, he begged to call the fireman who was with him.
George Smith, the fireman alluded to, stated that when he
started to overtake the train, the conviction on his mind was that
they were taking the engine lights, and not the tail lamps, for
which they were on a strict look out.
The magistrate then retired with Captain Charlewood and the
chief clerk of the court, and, after a short consultation, returned,
when Mr. Hare observed that, after the whole affair had had his
best consideration, he was led to believe that the accident had arisen
from mistake respecting the order given to the defendant relative
to the lights. He therefore dismissed the case.
The defendant was accordingly discharged.
At the close of the inquiry Mr. Cubitt complained of the con-
duct of several of the passengers, and the manner in which he had
been attacked in the public prints, asserting almost to the extent
that he was the party that had caused the calamity, and even
while using every means to alleviate the sufferers, many of the
officers were collared and roughly used, while he was similarly
treated, and designated a murderer.
T

_ TATE or nADE.—The demand for yarn both for
export and for home consumption continues exceedingly good,
wirh very firm prices ; and the shippers appear generally desirous
to extend their contracts. In goods there is a fair steady business,
but without animation, except in domestics, which are rather
higher, in consequence of the advance in the description of yarn
used in their manufacture.----ROCIILIALIa FLANNEL MARKET,
JULY have had a very brisk market ; pieces have been
eagerly bought up, at better prices. There is little change in the
wool market ; prices are slowly upon the advance.—Manchester
Guardian.

THE DUKE AND THE PROVERB.—The Italians say
" Every medal has its reverse.'' The Iron Duke seems resolved to
illustrate the truth of the proverb. Hence, the Waterloo fighters
have " the medal," and the Peninsular veterans " the reverse."--
Paw&