NARROW ESCAPE OP THE SCOTCH EXPRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1711, 14 November 1887, Page 3

NARROW ESCAPE OP THE SCOTCH EXPRESS

A serious acoldont occurred on the Midland Railway recently, whloh most happily and remarkably involved no loss of life. Shortly before fonr o'clook a train heavily laden with coal, and proceeding towards Hall, was brought to a stand at WAthondeame, about 13 miles from Sheffield, through the failure of a draw bar, which oauaed the train to part m two* The down moln line being than blooked the signals were pat at danger. While this mishap was being reotified the fast express leaving St Pancrai at 12 20 p.m. for Edinburgh and Glasgow, and timed to leave Sheffield at 3 55 was seen approaching on the same line of metals, A moment afterwards It had crushed Into the rear portion of the coal train, The passenger engine, tender, and leading carriage went clean I over the tops of five ooal waggons, and the engine then toppled over on its side down a steep ombankment, the tender falling directly and blocking up the main line, whilst the first carriage, a large ' bogey, third class aompartment, and the brake whioh was next the tender rested on two truckß m a elaofcing position elevated over twenty feet above the metals The second oarrlage waa also thrown off the metals, the oouplings having snapped like wire. The and of this carriage wrb also smashed. The other three carriages and the guard's van furmlng the lattec portion of the train did not leave the road. William Bramley, of Sheffield, who had been twenty years m the employ of the Midland Company was the driver, and Wm. lintohlnson, also of Sheffield, the fireman. When they saw a colllelon was inevitable, they manfully decided to etiok to their post, and they both went down the embankment cith the engloo, the driver even kueplnp a firm grip when the engine turned on lta Bide, lie had not a Boratch bnt was badly shaken.. The tire* man had his \ef\, nvm badly lacerated m t^o or three plaoev, two flngerß broken, &nd was also severely shaken, The only other person who seemed to be injured was an elderly lady travelling from Ijon&on to Ikley. The drlyet'o explanation Is fcha^i he did not ace the danger until it wa.a too late to avert mlsoblef, The stoker, Walter Hutohinson, living m Peter street, Sheffield, did not appear to be firing up properly, and the driver was doing that work when he passed the signals. He shut off the steam and pat on the brake, but could not do it la time to prevent a uoilialou.