14 Dec 1836 Dreadful Railway Accident - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

14 Dec 1836 Dreadful Railway Accident

DREADFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

A dreadful accident occurred on the Newcastle and Carlisle railway on Saturday,
the 3d inst., by which three persons lost their lives and a great deal of
property was damaged. At Wetheral the railway crosses the river Eden by a noble
bridge, where a station is placed, at which the trains always stop. About 300
yards further the railway crosses the valley of Corby-beck by a viaduct; and at
the western extremity of this is a short branch leading to some coal staiths
belonging to the Earl of CARLISLE. To enable the waggons to reach this staith
points or switches are placed upon the main line of rails, which are turned to
the branch line, and vice versa, by means of an eccentric lever. After the
waggons have been taken from the main to the branch line, it is the duty of the
persons having the care of the staiths to turn the points to the main line, and
fasten the rails in that position by blocks on the north side. On the day in
question the train from Newcastle was proceeding to Carlisle, drawn by the
Samson locomotive engine, about 4 in the afternoon, with 26 passengers, and a
heavy load of goods. About half a mile before reaching Corby-bridge the steam
was let off, and the train was descending the inclined plain. On reaching the
bridge SIMPSON, the engine-man, saw a man upon the line, and gave him the signal
to get out of the way. Scarcely had this danger been avoided, when, to his
horror and consternation, he saw the points were set for the staith instead of
the main line. The alarm was given, and the motion of the engine was reversed.
Both the engine-man and the fire-man had just time to leap off. The reversing of
the motion of the engine was not sufficient to stop it, as it was upon a
considerable descent. In an instant the engine and train ran upon the branch
rails and right forward to the staith. Six empty coal-waggons, which were
standing there, were struck and driven off the rail. At the same moment the
stone pillars of the coal-cells, supporting the rails, gave way, and the engine
fell to the ground, a depth of eight feet, carrying with it the whole of the
frame-work of the staith. The tender fell in the same way. Attached to the
tender was a horse-truck laden with corn, this also fell to the ground, but came
upon its wheels. Following this was a truck laden with goods and a cart. The
truck was also turned over, and fell upon the grain-truck. The carriages with
the passengers were happily arrested just on the brink of the falling ruins. One
of these carriages was a good deal injured, but the passengers, with one
exception, escaped without any injury: he had his hand jammed between broken
timbers. When the engine first took the wrong direction, a man named Henry
JOHNSTON, a dyer, of Warwick, was on the staith, and had not time to get out of
the way; he was thrown down, and so greatly damaged that he died the next
morning. On further examination being made, two boys, named Matthew POTTS and
John KELSAY, aged 14 and 16, were found crushed to death between the grain and
the truck which had fallen upon it: they had got upon the train, it appears,
unknown to anybody. The head of the elder youth was crushed quite flat, and
presented a frightful spectacle.

An inquest was held upon the bodies of the three unfortunate deceased on Monday.
A great number of witnesses were examined, and the investigation lasted the
whole of the day. At the conclusion of the evidence, the jury came to the
following verdict: - "We find that Henry JOHNSTON, Matthew POTTS, and John
KELSAY came by their deaths accidentally, by reason of the locomotive steam
engine called the Samson, and the carriages by which she was followed, running
from the proper line of road, and breaking down a staith at Great Corby, such
deviation from the right line being caused by the misplacing of certain points
or switches at the west end of Corby-bridge; and that a deodand of 15L. be
levied on the steam-engines and carriages; and that this jury cannot separate
without expressing its disapprobation of the conduct of the railway company in
not placing their own responsible servants at every turn where such switches are
placed, or insisting upon Lord CARLISLE, and all others having private depots,
giving such security for proper attention to the switches leading to such depots
as will give the most perfect security attainable in such a mode of travelling
to those whose lives are committed to their charge."