ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIFE ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 248, 14 October 1848, Page 3

ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIFE ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

{From Bells Messenger, May 13.) We regret to have to state that an accident, through which four lives have bi-en lost, happened on Wednesday to the 12 o'c'oek up express train from Exeter. The engine attached to the express train at Swindon was the Sultan, one of the heavy clsss of broad guage locomotives, and was driven by Roscoe, one of tha trOt careful men on the line. The train, consisting of seven passenger carriages, and n luggage van, left Swindon several minutei lute. The time at which she may bo expected at the next station towards London — namely, Shrivcnham, is about seventeen or eighteen minutei past two o'clock, the preceding up-train being due there nt about tweuty-five minutes past twelve o'clock. When the driver got within tight of the Shrivenham signals, which are easily discernible by him at upwards of a mile distant, lie wai fifteen or sixteen minutes late. He was, theiefore, to be mo* mentarily expected, and it was, of course, tlie imperative duty of the officers at the statiou to keep the upline free. As the train approached the station the driver saw that the signal " all right 1 ' was on for him to proceed, and he therefore kept on hit steam, presuming that the line was clear. The immediate appioach to the station is on a curve, and the driver doei not obtain a full view of the portion of the line parallel with the station till he arrives within a comparatively short distance of it, As Roscoe turned the curve he first became aware of '.he terrble fact that the up-lme was not cl*»r. The " all right" signal was full ou, but a horse box and one end of a goods waggon were on the main up-line immediately before him. He had scarcely time to sound his guard's whistle, and put on the tender b eak, when the uear buffer of his engine struck the end of the goods waggon wi>h terrific force, and propelled it onwards between the tram and the brick woik of the station. Either the goods waggon ttmt was itrurk, or a waggon or truck attached to it, was forced against the first second-class

carri-ige, carrying away one side of it, and forcing off the leading wheel*. TV deceased persons Were in this carriage. Three were killed at the moment of collision ; the fourth, of whose life hope was entertained, was immediately removed to Swindon, where he shortly afterwards died. General Sir Alexander Mackenzie had a most fortunate escape. He was travelling in the train when the deplorable accident occurred. The carriage immediately in front of that in which the general sat, as that directly behind it, were smashed to pieces. We are glad to find the General escaped without any injuiy, and arrived in town last evening. Ilia servant was unfortunately killed. It is a remarkable fact, that the engine, although one of her buffets, a portion of the buffer beam, and a part of her framing were carried awuy, never left the rail. Had the engine been one of the ordinary light locomotives, she would inevitably have been thrown off the line, and the consequences might have been still more lamentable.