Fearful Catastrophe.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 180, 6 July 1883, Page 2

Fearful Catastrophe.

TERRIBLE R.ULWAY DISASTER IN SCOTLAND. A DOUBLE COLLISION. SAD LOSS OF LIFE. BODIES MUTILATED BEYOND RECOGNITION. MIRACULOUS ESCAPES.

(By Telegraph.) (post correspondent. ) London, May 17. One of the most disastrous railway accidents known m Scotland for some time took place on Wait Monday on the Caledonian Railway. At Lockerbie junction a double collision took place shortly before midnight, the first, between a goods and local passenger train, though not very serious, being the cause of the second and terrible catastrophe. While both lines were blocked the mail train from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the south came down the incline at over. 50 miles an hour, and dashed into the wreckage with a terrific crash. The driver, fireman, and four passengers, were killed on the spot, and 30 others injured. Tn the darkness, it was at first unknown how awful was the calamity which had occurred. It could, however, be seen by the dim li-iht of the embers of the engine fires that the front portion of the mail train Tas a complete wreck Prom the broken carriages were heurd shrieks of pain and cries for help. Thp noise of the collision was h^ard m towu, and brought bundreis to th^ scene, who, with tht* n scaled passengers, s«.'t to work to extricate ■■•; the dead and wounded. Two ki led were token from a third class carriage which hai been snushed to I splinters. In one compartment was found the body ot a man so mutilated as to be unrecognisable. A young man travelling with his affianced bade seas billed and she escaped, Among the debris was found a Udy and child alive but they have -since did, making a total of eight deaths, ihe bodies of the fireman and driver were found buried under the engine, literally cut to pieces, ihe fireman's head was found at one place and a portion ot the body at the other. Many miraculous escapes are recorded, among them that of the Rev. Mr Saville, Baptist minister, of Carlisle, who saw a young man m the same carriage killed.