Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1886-04-03 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

YEAR'S RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.  _ The returns of railway accidents and casualties as reported to the Board of Trade by the several railway companies of the United Kingdom during the year ended the 31st December, 1885, was issued on Thursday. From this it appears that 997 persons were killed and 7,022 injured in tie year. Six passengers were killed and 436 injured in accidents to trains, rolling-stock, permanent-ways, &c.; and 96 were killed and 693 injured by accidents from other causes. Of servants of companies or contractors, 13 were killed and 81 injured from accidents to trains, rolling-stock, &c.; and 438 were killed and 2,036 injured by accidents from other causes. Fifty-eight persons were killed and 21 wounded at level crossings; 303 trespassers (including suicides) were killed and 126 wounded. ()f other persons not coming in the above classification, 41 were killed and 74 injured. During the year there were reported 35co1lisions between passenger trains or parts of passenger trains, by which 1 servant was killed and 120 passengers and 14 servants were injured; collisions between passenger trains and goods or mineral trains, &c., by which 5 passengers and 1 servant were killed and 133 passengers and 31 servants were injured ;22 collisions between goods trains or parts of goods trains, by which 2 servants were killed .and 5 cattle-drovers and 14 :E '• ants were injured; 1 case of a train coming in ccoutact with a projection from another train traveliing on a parallel line, by which 2 passer. gera wer e i ujui ed; 65 cases of passenger trains or parts of passenger trains leaving the rails, by which 1 passenger and 5 servants were killed and 61 passengers and 8 servants were injured ; 9 cases of goods trains or parts of goods trains leaving the rails, by which 2 servants were killed and 1 was injured ; 11 cases of trains travelling in the wrong direction through points, by which 1 servant was killed and 16 passengers awl 4 servants were injured ; 14 cases of trams running into stations or sidings at too high a 'speed, by which 92 passengers and 1 servant were injured; 126 cases of trains running over cattle or other obstructions on the line, involving injury to 1 servant; 48 cases of trains running through gates at level crossings involving injury to 1 servant; 4 cases of the failure of machinery, springs, &c., of engines, by which 7 passengers and 2 servants were injured ; 377 failures of axles by which I servant was killed and 3 passengers and 1 servant mere injured; 3 failures of break apparatus, by which 7 passengers were injured : and 6 failures of couplings, involving injury to men ants. In addition to the accidents above classified, the railway companies have reported to the Board :.)f Trade the following accidents which occurred upon Their premises, but in which the movement of vehicles used exclusively upon railways was not concerned. Four passengers killed and 105 injured whilst ascending or descending steps at stations; 32 injured by being struck by barrows, tailing over ilickages, &c., on station platforms; 1 killed and 27 injured by falling oft platforms; and 59 injured from other causes. Of servants of companies or contractors, 940 were injured whilst loading, unloading, or sheeting waggons; 2 were killed and 207 injured whilst moving or carrying goods in warehouses, &c.; 2 were killed and 193 injured whilst working at cranes or capstans ; 26 injured by the falling of waggon-doors, lamps, bales of goods, &c. ; 288 injured by falling off, or when getting on or off, stationary engines 1r vehicles ; 8 were killed and no injured by falling platforms, ladders, scaffolds &c. ; I'so were ...lured by stumbling whilst waffling on the line or platforms ; 159 were injured whilst attending to stationary engines in sheds; 1 was killed and 64 were injured by being trampled on or kicked by horses; 6 were killed and 552 injured while working on the line or in sidings ; and 179 were injured from various other causes. Sixteen persons who were vransacting business on the companies' premises were also killed, and 124 were injured, making a total in this class of accidents of 40 persons killed and 3,5 injured.  Robert Campbell, a lance-sergeant of the 50th Regiment, stationea at Beverley, quarrelled with his wife, and as he threatened her she ran out of the house. Re then placed the muzzle of his loaded rifle in his mouth, and pulled the trigger with a string. The charge blew off the upper part of his head, causing instant death. The deceased, who was a young man, had been drinking, it is said, since St. PeArick's Day.