APPLEBY RAILWAY FATALITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 36

APPLEBY RAILWAY FATALITY.

CONTINUATION OF THE INQUEST,

NELSON, February 13.

The inquest concerning the death of Mri Lydia Tilbury, who wes killed in. a collision between a coach and a train at Appleby 01* February 1, was resumed to-day. The Railway Department, Messrs Newman Brothers (coach proprietors), Charles Bucklandl (coach driver), and the relatives of Mis* Fittall, one of the injured passengers, were represented by counsel. The evidence of the railway officials waff chiefly that the train which wrecked the coach was a passenger special, which was not to stop at Appleby unless there were passengers to be picked up. As there were none, the train proceeded at reduced speed. Before it reached the crossing the ueual whistle was sounded by the driver. The guard, driver, and fireman saw the coach approaching the line, and concluded that the coach driver had seen the train and! would stop. He, however, went on, and did not appear to be aware of his danger until 1 within about 6ft of the line and a fewyards off the engine, which was just about to take the crossing. The engine-driver and fireman stated that he then rose tram his seat and urged his horses forward. The horses cleared the rails, and the engine caught the coach amidships. The guard had applied his brake simultaneously with the alarm whistles of the driver, but the train ran a considerable distance before 10 could be pulled up. The coach was carried! into a cattle stop, where Miss Walters was found in an unconscious condition. The body of Mrs Tilbury was carried some distance further. She was killed instantly. Miss Fittall was found clear of the line, havintr been thrown a considerable distance. Buckland. the driver, who was seriously injured internally, was stated to have said! when picked up that it was a funny thing he had not heard the tram approaching. Other witnesses stated that the crof in f was an open one, with nothing to obstruct the view from the box of a. coach.