, 1874-09-28
THE ENGLISH RAILROAD ACCIDENT

Terrible Collision Oh tho (trent East.
Crn Railway
lilo torriblo collision which occurred on the
droat Eastern Hallway at Thorpe on tho 1Osl
irstant iBshus doacr.bcd by tho London Times o,
tho 11th:
:" Laas night ono Of the most appalling acci
deusa Which ever happouea in tl,e pastoria co,in
tfco occurred on tho Qroas Eastorn Railway
bosweon Norsich and Bruntlall. 4 train carry.
tng matla leaves 4reat Yarmouth every
i! ham by nuotl,'er trali, tom from Lowsssoft
Yhis junction waB eGectel Inst night il
Tue ordinary course, utu tho cotnbinod trsitl
proceeded to Bruudall, thrco Htatona fursior
On. Hero it had TO wait, in consequence Of tue
eyoning express tron, Norwich to Grcat Yar-
moush, or until permission Waa given 70 tho
onEilio-drlvcr to proceed. Through sono fatality
which IL at prosont inexpficable. the night in
apocsor at Norwich (Thorpe} Station a1loned tho
down express to leave Norwich while the COM.
bined train from Great Yarmouth waa suffered
to colho on from urundall. The consoquences
were diaaHtrouB tn the cxtren1e. Tho doomed
trains mot at Thorpe. about 2 miles from Nor
wich, and tue et1uck was appalling. Tho rails
curve III tho limo At tho fatal spot, 40 that
tho llghta OF nother train could be Beou thoro
waa no time to apply tho brnkos, and tito two
engines rushed at each othes ut . collective
speed Of At least d0 niloB por hour. The englno
drawing Tho combined mail-trnin. No. 81, wss
aud Of great powor. Tho ougino drawing tho
train from Norwich vaa 4 liglltor one, but had
also acquired, with it's train, q considerable
momentum. 1u tho cragh which followed the
coiIlaion tno funnel Of englno No. q was carried
nway. aud the onglus from Norwich rushed on
tho top Of lily assallant, sone Of tue carriages Of
o,thcr train following, until ghnBtly pyramid
waH formed of h,s.lug locomotives. shattered car
riagos, and moaning, and in aome cases dylng,
paasongers. SO iuBtantRnoous MAS tho shock that
havo had tlmo to turn of hts regulator, 80 that
tho steam remained for somo timo in operation.
Tho onglno No. q was, however, forced OF tue
rails, aud was unable to make any further ad-
yanco in tho goueral ruin. The driver aud Ills
1lrolnan. named respectively John Prior md
Jtmes Light, must hayo been killed 1nstan-
tanoously. and a similar fate probably bcfeil
Thomas Clark and Frederick Sewc1l, tho driver
mud troman Of tho train from Norwich. The
crash was heard throughout tho Village Of
Thorpe, and many OF the 1nhabitants hnatene1
to Tho acouo, and 1cndoied such assistance az
thoy wcre ablo to aiYotd to tho suffering pas
se.lgers. With aB Iitto 1oBH Of tiulo as possible
roIiot~train was dispatched from Norwich
(TLorpo) to tho scene Of tho disaater, and
lusnber Of tnedicn1 men were also nont down
from Norwich.
"Tho force Of mon collected By tho officials at
onca bogan 10 clear away the debris. and in somo
casos to cut out tho suffering passengers. The
wouuaed wore carried to Norwich. aid in most
cases removed to the Norfolk aud Norniol,
Hospital. Light was obtained, lis usual i'll auch
cascs.-for oven railway collisions have thcir
orthodox features, with the holp Of largo bon-
tiros fed by tho shattered carriages. 4 boat
louse hard BY, and room ut the Throo Tuns
Tavern. at Thorpe, woro used as daadhouses. and
wcro soon occupied by fifteon victims, whllo ono
Or moro deaths occurred subsequently. Whom
day1iGtt broke. the railWny nlGu Wl1D Fnrkni
with will, hnd succeeded IN clealing away the
wfcok Of the carsiages Which had baoomo piled
ono upon anothor; they bad turned tho Norwich
engine on Its back on tho ballast, where It lay
spattoring, and thoy Ind begun to deal NTH tho
Yarmouth cngine. which was imbeddcd in tho
gravel. Several hours wero occupied Ia 1cnaov-
ing tho dismal r1ock, but at last It Was removed
aomouow, and then tho line was onco moro
ready for tho passage Of trains, as tho perma-
nont way had Sustained very little injury. Mean-
rliie tho medical gontlomen and tholr assist
nuts bud been equally buBy, and morning
brought with It = !iss Of eigliteou Elled and
many mora injured"
The number Of persons seriously wounded WIS
shout forty.