The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-06-10 00:00:00

NEWTON RACES-THE RAILWAY.

It is an acknowledged truth, that any company without the
salutary cheek of competition soon acquires many of the worst
features of monopoly—high and more than fair remunerating
charges, and carelessness and inattention to the convenience
and comfort of the public: This has been strikingly exempli-
fied in the accommodation provided for the public by the Liver-
pool end of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway company
at the present Newton races. It was announced that a train
would leave the railway station at half-past twelve o'clock each
day of the races for Newton race course, the fare to be 3s. The
public for this charge had a right to expect, at least, a comforta-
ble conveyance and moderate care and attention, three shillings
being full coaching rate for sixteen miles distance. On 'Wed-
nesday, however, and the accommodation has since been the
same, about a dozen second class carriages were provided, hav-
ing tops to keep off the rain, and which were speedily filled, the
remainder and majority of the train consisted of square tubs,
having seats in them, and set upon wheels, without any protect-
tion whatever from the weather, and this, too, for passengers
who paid the same high rate of fare. The consequence was, all
those who had the ill luck to arrive late at the station, after the
covered carriages were full, were drenched to the skin by a
thunderstorm. On returning, the carelessness and inattention
was still worse. Immediately after the races were over, another
shower coming on, the people flocked in haste to the carriages
in order to secure, naturally enough, a covered seat, and the
greatest confusion prevailed. No person being stationed to
direct which were the Liverpool carriages, many odt zntofinthde_
Wigan, Bolton, Warrington, and other trains,ang
ing out thjir mistake, were scrarnblints off as fast as they could,
whilst the, rain was falling in torrents. Meanwhile the Man-
chester train, which consisted entirely of first class carriages,
the rate being no higher, and the disiaeabou t the same as
from Liverpool, affO
rded a comfortable shelter to its passengers,
and by better arrangement was loaded and started nearly half
an hour before the Liverpool train, which did not start till
nearly an hour after the races, keeping
its unlucky freight
steeping in a thunder shower during the whole of that time.
This, however, did not finish their misfortunes; for soon after
starting, and when the carriages were going at the rate of about
twelve miles an hour, through some gross neglect or careless-
ness the engineer was not on the train, nor was there a
guard
at one of the breaks, when a train of carriages a ere observed
stationary on the line about two hundred yards before. Con-
tact became inevitable, and the passengers prepared for the
worst. In a few momenta the train, going at this speed, came
In collision with the stationary one. The crash was dreadful,
and in spite of their endeavours the passengers were thrown off
their seats with the greatest violence against one another, and
great numbers received black eves and very severe bruises and
contusions on the face. On arriving, at the incline about hall
way between Newton and Liverpool, there was no extra engine
to assist, and, as was to be expected. the train, having proceeded
a short distance up, came to a stand. As there was no other
remedy, half the carriages were unyoked, whilst the engine pro-
ceeded to the top of the incline, a distance of about two miles.
In consequence six 'or eight carriages were left in the dark, and
rain, and cold for upwards of half an hour till the engine re-
turned for them, and the train did not arrive in Liverpool till
half-past ten o'clock, three hours after the races were over. The
managers may depend that this is penny-wise and pound-foolish
management; for we heard numbers declare that, if they could
not find other conveyances, they would rather stay away the
following days' races than submit again to the inconveniences
Etnd annoyances to which they had been subjected;