DRAMATIC FIGHT IN A SIGNAL BOX.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 318, 3 June 1911, Page 9

DRAMATIC FIGHT IN A SIGNAL BOX.

.■». MIDXTC.HT STRUGGLE WITH TWO MEN. DISASTER AVERTED. London, April 12. A thrilling light in a lonely signalbox, whicti might have led to a railway disaster but for the intervention of an enginedriver in the nick of time, was described at the Bridgend Police Court on Saturday, when two colliers named Arthur Thomas and David Ballinger were each lined CI for trespassing on the railway line, and sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment for attacking David \Vatkins, a signalman. Watkins said he was a signalman at the Ffos Rank cabin, a lonely post on the (.real. Western main line to Fishguard. The story he told was reminiscent, of a cinemafognph diama, except tliiit it did not end in an express being '■!-hl up." "Rallingcr entered the cabin at midnight," he said, "and asked for a drink of water, slating that a friend oi his lay dying outside. When T questioned him he admitted that his statement was a joke, and as he was drunk f tried to assist him along the line. "Suddenly be turned and attacked inc. Thomas came up, and T returned to the cabin, but Rallingcr followed me up the steps, and I had to hurl him down. "I entered the cabin and held the door closed. Then the telephone bell began signalling the Neyland goods train, and I had to leave the door to answer the call. Immediately Ballinger and Thomas rushed in and threw me down. "I managed to free myself and return the telephone ring, but they attacked mo again, and I struggled with them for twenty-five minutes. Both of them struck me witli signal sticks, and one of them used a poker. "At length I heard the goods train approaching, and with great difficulty I managed to hang out a danger signal lamp. Ballinger kicked the lamp down, but the driver of the train noticed the struggle and came to my assistance. "The driver helped to hold Thomas," concluded the signalman. "Ballinger jumped through the window, but I and another man chased him and caught him."