The First Train and the First Accident.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 204, 30 November 1880, Page 2

The First Train and the First Accident.

September 15 (says tlr QjFloine A 1 cos) was the fiftieth anniversary of the binning of the Liverpool and Mancherter Railway—the first important iron road in the Kingdom. It was on September 15, 1830, that a brilliant company of men of distinguished rank and talent assembled, at the invitation of fae directors of the newly-constructed life, to witness and take part in the trial trip from Liverpool to Manchester. Among those eminent men were, the Duke of Wellington, at that time Prime Minister of England ; Sir Robert Peel, afterwards the Premier; the Right Hon. William Huskisson, member for Liverpool, at that time leader of the Opposition and the Free Trade party; Sir James Graham; the Right Hon. E G. Stanley, in his turn the Earl d; Derby and twice Prime Minister; together with a splendid of ladies and gentlemen from Lancashire, Cheshire, and distant counties. It was in connection with this trial trip that there occurred the first railway accident. All went well till the locomotives arid carriages, which had been arranged in a sort of procession, reached Parkside, 17 miles from Liverpool, and stopped there to take ip water. for the boilers. During their stoppage several gentlejnen alighted, contrary to the strict injunctions which the Directors had given in their placards. Mr. Huskisson was one of these gentlemen, and he was unfortunately knocked down by one of the engines, which passed over his leg and thigh, causing injuries of which he died the same night. The sad- event-pro-' fenced a feeling of uniyersalygjoom the whole kingdom; - Yet day of grief a change had taken the>motive power of the world, we only deel the first results of fifty years.