The Times 1831 - 1840 17 May 1837 Railway Accident near Riding Mill

17 May 1837 Railway Accident near Riding Mill

RAILWAY ACCIDENT. - We regret to announce that another accident happened on the Newcastle and Carlisle railway on Thursday last. The train drawn by the Rapid locomotive engine was coming towards Carlisle in the afternoon, when, near Riding-mill, about six miles east of Hexham, a piece of wood about three feet long, one foot broad, and about half an inch in thickness, was found lying across the rails. By coming in contact with this, the engine and several carriages were thrown off the rails, and so violent was the concussion that the water tank attached to the tender was torn off, and pitched right over the engine, carrying with it the engineman. The place where the accident occurred was close to an occupation bridge which crosses the railway, and on each side are steep banks. Immediately behind the tender were several trucks with carriers' carts upon them. These were all crushed up in a heap under the bridge, and many of them much broken. Some of the carriages were also thrown off the rails and damaged; but, although there were about 30 passengers, none of them received the slightest injury. The engineman, Thomas MANN, was found lying under that part of the tender which had been carried over the engine, a good deal hurt, but a surgeon being amongst the passengers, immediate attention was paid to him, and he is now in a fair way of recovery. A man on horseback was sent forward to Hexham for another engine to bring the passengers forward; and they arrived here about half-past 9 in the evening, two hours and a half behind the usual time. It is supposed that the wood had been dropped from the train going eastward, which was met at Stockfield by the Rapid. - Carlisle Journal.

 

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