RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 66, 22 December 1871, Page 3

RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE.

A singular accident happened the other day in the streets of London. It appears that a huge steam roller was in Pall Mall, on its way to St. James Park, to be used on some paving work. At twelve o’clock the driver of the engine concluded to go and get his dinner. He, therefore, shut off steam, and left the engine standing near a statue in front of the Pall Mall Restaurant. A crowd of people soon gathered around it including some mischievous boys, one of whom got on the engine, and managed in some way to start it. This done, the lad ran away. The locomotive, to the dismay of the bystanders started off, at first slowly but continually increasing its speed, and presently spread consternation all around. Its first direction was for the statue, which it would probably have overthrown if not demolished, but when close up to it, the engine turned capriciously, almost at a right angle, went straight across the road, and into the shop of Mr Thompson, a photographic colourist. Its entrance was effected by the window, which was totally smashed, and not only this, but the heavy stone facade underneath the glass was also shattered. Several ladies standing in front of the window were slightly hurt, and one gentleman seriously. Two other ladies fainted in the crowd, and being trampled under foot, received had though not dangerous injuries. The devastation committed by the unruly machine in the window, which was full of pictures and fragile articles, is said to have been indescribable, and it is easy to believe that a bull in a china shop could have been nothing to it.