GRETNA RAILWAY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2472, 27 May 1915, Page 6

GRETNA RAILWAY DISASTER

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUIRY SIGNALMAN'S FATAL LAPSE FORGOT A TRAIN (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Al ... . . London, May 25. At tho^ inquiry into the circumstance# of the railway disaster at Gretna Green, Meecham, a signalman at Quintin's Hill, gave evidence that ho shunted the local train up to the main lino. He told J-liisley, a_ signalman, when the latter relieved him, that the train had been shunted. Meecham said that Tinsley, v-lio had travelled' by the local train, relieved him at 6.32 p.m. Witness stayed in the signal-bos reading a newspaper. A nreman and brakesman were also there, ine nrst alarm was when the troop train was passing the signal-box at fortv miles an nour. The collision followed immediately. Meecham ran downstairs Mid 6aw a lot of soldiers running about, tie rushed back to the box aud sent telegrams for assistance. "V hi s evidence, admitted that lie forgot all about the local train wben he gave the signal to the troop train. He jumped off the local train as it crossed to the np-line. so he knew it had crossed. He quite forgot about the local train after he jumped off the engine. There was only a minute interval between the first and second collisions. Meecham put down the signal t? Danger" just before the second colwn,n avei> fc it, Wallace, driver of the local train, said he saw tile troop train 200 vardß away, but it was too late to back. He jumped oft the engine and got under the goods train in the siding, (Rec. May 26, 11.55 p.m.) London, May 26. Xne dmer of the local train in the Gretna railway collision attributed the I ure to gas ascaping from the cylinders.