THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN TASMANIA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1273, 23 July 1886, Page 3

THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN TASMANIA.

The Hobart ‘Mercury" supplies some details oftho railway accident in Tasmania, by which two persons lost their lives and a largo number were severely injured:

The special train returniny with the visitor’s from the ceremony of opening the Fingal Railway ran oS the rails on a six inch curve between Campania and Brighton, about eighteen and a-half miies from town, and a terrible scene ensued The train was travelling at a good speed before reaching Campania, and the guard, Harry Bryce, warned the driver to reduce the speed between this station and Brighton. His warning the driver, John Bradshaw, did not heed, and was running at the rate of 40 miles, when the fireman, Joe Rogers, remonstrated with him, and told him to shut ¥ steam and r educe speed. At the same time the fireman applied the brake. The one in use on the main line stock acta on the driving wheels of the locomotive. The action of the brake on the approach to the six-chain curve causing the wheels to skid instead of revolve, gave a right tendency to continue the impetus in a straight line, and the engine ran off the curve to the left The locomotive fell against a slight embankment, knocking off the dome, which was blown twenty-five yards away. The explosion shattered the engine, and carried away about ten panels of post and rail fencing alongside the line. The driver and fireman were thrown out, and the tender fell upon them. Tiro remainder of the train was composed of one short carriage, one long carriage, and a guard’s van. Tiro long carriage, in which there \re r e about eighteen persons, telescoped the shorter one, containing only two or three passengers ; but in the guai’d’s van, in which the guard and Mr St Leger rode, remains standing, the front wheels ordy having gone ofi the rails, arid the coupling being snapped. Tire driver must have been killed instantaneously, as tiro jigged ends of the broken tender had fallen upon him cutting the trunk severely about tiro middle, and striking his head. The fireman, Joe Rogers, was pinned to the ground by portions of the tender, and, besides severe injuries to Lis body and head, had one of his leg 3, almost severed just above tire foot. The scene in the ruined carriages at the moment [of the accident, and a few minutes afterwards, was terrible. There was tire usual difficulty of getting out of a compact wreck of splintered framework and glass, and the dawning of that tearful uncertainty

as to the fate of friends. But there was an excellent spirit of calm fortitude amongst those who were able to do anything, and the presence of mind of Mr C. H. Grant, Mr W, Gundy, and the guard, Henry Bryce, was truly admirable. The passengers in the forepart of the long carriage, in which several Press representatives were riding, first felt a little oscil'ation at 10.27, which increased till the carriage seemed to be leaning right over one side of the line, and the immediate conjecture was that it was oS the rails. Two or three gentlemen stood up or leaned over to the other side and then followed a bump and a crash of broken timber and falling glass. Simultaneously everybody was thrown down amid the ruin, and an explosion occuned, followed by a few moments’ dead silence. There was not a cry or word spoken till Mr Grant, who was also on the forepart'of the carriage, called out, “ Put out the lamps; extinguish that fire,” both lamps having fallen down, and the oil spilt was on fire on the splintered timber. Then came a cry for help from someone pinned down under a seat. “ Help him out, somebody,” Mr Grant said, and got out himself to view the ruin and see what could be done. Then friend called upon friend in the darkness, and by degrees something was known of the results in the immediate vicinity of each coterie. Those better able to do so helped the entirely disabled out of the wreck; but some were too seriously injured to be' removed or touched. Mr Grant called for a fire, to throw light on the whole scene, and to place the wounded around. Willing hands soon started one, which was followed by three more at other advantageous points. Meanwhile some of the move helpless were as-isted out, including the Premier (Dr Agnew), the Hon. J. S. Dodds, the Hon. W. H. Burgess—all severely injured. But the first to demand attention (after it was dis« covered that John BradJiaw, the driver’, was dead) was the poor unfor.-, tunate fireman, Joe Rogers. Mr Gundy and Mr Grant superintended the extrication of the poor man, whose injuiies were extremely painful. He was released with considerable difficulty, and placed on the hillside by one of the fires, where he continued to suffer extrema agony till removed by the doctors. Among the others severely injured are Mr F. H. Wise and Mr C. Harbottle, who had to remain in the wrecked train till the ambulances arrived. Mr Wise’s suffering was extreme, and Mr Haibottle could not bear touching. Fortunately the night was peculiarly mild for this time of the year, and with the large fires lighted there was very little discomfort for those who were uninjured. though nearly everybody Lad slight injuiies of a more or less painful character. Father Ke'sh, Rev. J.W. Amott, C. E. Davies, J. P. Eoxall, and A. St Leger, who were uninjured, or sustained light bruises or cuts, were assiduous in helping their less fortunate friends, who were in several instances in great pain. At midnight all was quiet, save the little noise caused by the operations of the men searching among the ruins for missing requisites, or extracting the bod/ of the dead man, which had been driven so far into the earth as to necessitate digging it out. A slight drizzle of

rain commenced to fall, but did not last long, and there was plenty of rugs and wraps. Water was nr cured from a platelayer’s cottage a few hundred yards away, and the man himself, who was early on tho scene, having heard the crash and explosion, had been despatched to Brighton for assistance. The assistance was certainly very prompt, and the sound of tho whistle of the relief train from Hobart was an exceedingly welcome sound to many ears.

The deceased driver, John Bradshaw, was about thirty years of age, a sod of Mr J Bradshaw, who has charge of Mr Brock’s Campania Flour Mills, and recently cf Oat lands. By a fortunate oversight Bradshaw insured his life for L2OO about two weeks ago. Joe Rogers, the stoker, was nearly thirty years old, and has been employed as a driver and fireman on the main line since the line was opened, lie was a careful, reliable man. Later accounts say that the Premier is not eo seriously injured at was at first supposed. He is only suffering from general shock to his system aad contusions. No bones were broken. The Attorney-General has an extensive cut on the forehead, caused by the broken glass of a window through which ho was hurled. He has also received severe contusions. Several days mush elapse before either are able to resume their duties. The Treasurer sustained very painful injuries, including several muscular contusions and general shock to the nervous system. Master Warden ’Vise was the most severely injured of all. The accident seems to have been caused by the driver going too fast. f l he stoker remonstrated ineffectively, and then pat the brake hard on, without first seeing that steam was shut oft. Then the engine van ojT the line. An inquest was commoaced ju the body of Bradshaw. Mr Grant, the railway manager, in his evidence, stated that the lino was in capital order where the accident occurred ; that the accident was caused by the brake being applied, which, rendering the wheels rigid, prevented the train - vouching the cur ye.