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ACCIDENT TO AN EXPRESS TRAIN
On Tuesday afternoon an accident of a serious, though not of a fatal
nature, occurred near Carlisle, on the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway.
It appears that the express train from Scotland, which is due at 12 50,
started from Carlisle for the south at 1 o'clock, It consisted of eight
carriages made up of composite, first and second-class It is ocustomary
to put an assistant engine to heavy trains, in order to help them up a
steep incline about a mile from the city these engines being generally
attached to the end of the trains. As soon, therefore, as the express
train on Tuesday started from the station the auxiliary engine ran
slowly out of a shed in order to get behind. Within a short distance of
the station there are two crossings, one caused by the Maryport line,
and the other, at St. Nicholas, by a branch from the Newcastle railway,
and a highway over which the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway runs on a
level. This latter is always looked upon as a point of great danger and
the trains are prohibited from crossing at a speed of more than about
four miles an hour. In order to do this the driver of the express train
slackened speed shortly before he reached the crossing, but it is said
he did so before reaching the usual place. The driver of the second
engine, not being aware that the express had so suddenly shut off steam
ran his own engine along at the usual speed, the consequence of which
was that he dashed into the end of the train. Many of the passengers
were looking out of the windows at the time, and the sudden shock sent
their heads against the sides of the windows and against each
other. Several of them received bruises on the nose and other
parts of the face and a considerable sprinkling of blood was the
result. One lady, a Miss Walker of Maryport, received a rather severe
wound on the forehead and the Rev. Mr. Wilson, of Appleby was also
somewhat injured. The train was of course immediately stopped and
medical assistance obtained. As soon as the extent of the injury was
ascertained the train was brought back to the station, but in about
half an hour started again. The whole of the passengers with the
exception of Miss Wilson and a servant of Mr.G. H: Head, a director of
the railway, went forward; but the two we have mentioned were taken to
the County Hotel where their bruises were attended to. Singular to say
the only damage received by the train was a broken buffer on the last
carriage. It is not improbable that the accident may put a stop to the
practice of sending engines behind trains in future.NEAR CARLISLE Report from the Times newspaper, Thursday October 13th 1859
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