THE DISASTER AT DONCASTER. SIXTY PERSONS INJURED. SURVIVORS' NARRATIVES.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 228, 12 November 1887, Page 8

THE DISASTER AT DONCASTER. SIXTY PERSONS INJURED. SURVIVORS' NARRATIVES.

A railway disaster, the most seiious that has occurred in this country since the terrible accident at Penistone, in July, 1884, took place at Hexthorpe Siding, near Doncaster, yesterday morning, with a lamentable loss of life and serious injury to. scores of unfortunate travellers. Additional horror i& imparted to the disaster by the fact that nearly all the victims were pleasure-seeking excursionists on their way to the Doncastev races. These left Sheffield in a ppec ; il Midland train at 20 minutas p«st 11 o'clock for Don<vsler. As is usual during the Donca?ter week, the train was crowded, Sheffield always sending 1 thousands of loving townspeople to take part in the famous north country race meeting. All went wel^ until the special train reached the siding at Hexthorpe, a mile or two from Doncaster. The train drew up at the narrow platfoim for the collection of tickets, and there could have been no thought of danger, as the siding is specially protected by Mag and semaphore signals.

A. Daisgeroirs Siding. These precautions were requited by the i fact that the main line from Liverpool toj Hull takes a considerable curve not fan from the Hexthorpe ticket- platfoim, pardj which the train would rush at a great spee^H if not .stopped by signal before reaching the! turn which would bring it within sighfca of the siding. Ticket collectors were -^ ready at Hexthorpe for the special, which they entered immediately on its arrival, and the guards left their brake? to assi.-t in the woik. Suddenly a loud whistling was heaid which rose hioh above the bustle on the ticket platform, and people turned in the direction whence the noise came. In another instant there was a horrified fehout from the officials and others on the platform, followed by cries from the passengers, and a mad rush to get out o£ the carnages.

Smashed and Splintered like a Packing Case The ordinary passenger train from Liverpool to Hull was seen and heard thundering round the curve and dashing straight down the line towards the Midland special standing right in its way. A momentary glimpse was obtained of the' driver and stoker of the approaching train, frantically pulling at the levers. But the view was only transient, for almost immediately the collision took place. The Liverpool engine struck the end of the Midland special almost at full speed, and with such a mometum that the collision was of a terrific character. The woodwork of the carriages was smashed and splintered as if the material was wood of a packing case ; and the massive iron-work tyres and frames and wheeler, were twisted into many fantastic forms. The screeching of the escaping steam from the partially wrecked engine mingled with, and for a moment drowned, the agonising screams of the wretched beings imprisoned by the wreckage, and the groans of the many who had sustained terrible injuries. For awhile discipline seemed lost and reason suspended amongst officials and escaped passengers alike. But the panic did not last long, and the work of succour and rescue was commenced, and continued for hours with method and courage.

Appalling Sights and Sounds. ! The rear guard's van and . the three carriages immediately preceding it suffered most severely from the collision. Of these, the van and two of the carriages, one a large composite of eight compartments, were completely wrecked, and cries and groans proceeding froai the ruins gave painful evidence that many persons were buried beneath. Attention was, therefore, first devoted to these unhappy sufferers. Many uninjured passengers from both trains joined in the work of rescue, and within an hour nearly fifty persons were extricated and placed on the platform and in the nearest available buildings, where they received prompt and skilful attention at tha hands of surgeons and phy&icians who had hurried to the spot from the neighbouring towns and villages. The sights and sounds encountered by the gallant bands of workers were enough to appal even an experienced army surgedn. Many of the poor creatures were horribly mangled. Several had limbs torn off or crushed into shapelessness. An unusually large proportion of the injured were found to be suffering from serious wounds, and it was decided to send most of them to tlie Infirmary, at Doncaster. Special carriages were accordingly kept running between Doncaster and Hexthorpe, and most of the more seriously injured were soon comfortably installed in the Infirmary. By four o'clock twenty-three dead bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, and between fifty and sixty injured persons. Of the latter, four speedily succumbed to their injuries, and s'overai others are in a critical condition.