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RAIL SMASH AT LANCASTER
A tremendous crash was heard at the Castle Station, Lancaster on Tuesday night about 11.15, and there was a rush to ascertain the cause. It transpired that an empty train from Morecambe while shunting, had come into collision with a heavy freight train, and as a result of the impact three lines were fouled; but fortunately only one man, James Cragg, (28), married, of 56, Dorrington-road, Greaves, was injured. The accident occurred at the points in close proximity to the Long Marsh Lane Bridge, and it is lucky the derailed vehicles did not go a little further, as they might have dropped into the road. THE ACCIDENT.
The 10.40 p.m. passenger train from Euston-road Station at Morecambe, arrived at the Castle Station about 10.55 p.m. and discharged the passengers. The train was driven by Ernest Bell with William Croft as fireman, and Fred Kellett as guard. After the passengers had alighted, the train was being shunted into the Lune siding to be ready for the next morning's traffic.  A freight train from Carlisle to Manchester which had collected wagons at Carnforth, had been signalled to pass through Lancaster Station by the goods loop to the goods siding, and had just reached the points when the empty passenger train was being shunted over them. SHUNTER'S SHOCK.
Cragg, the injured shunter, discovered the "dummy" was out, and before he could get back he saw the two headlights of the engine of the freight train, and immediately there was a violent collision. Cragg told our representative " I was knocked down in the van with a pile of wood on the top of me, but I saw a hole in , the bottom of the van, and I crawled out on my hands and knees on to the .metals. I felt my ankle was badly sprained and I had received a violent blow on the thigh which has bruised it. Billy Croft, the fireman on the Morecambe train; came with the guard, Fred Kellett; and helped me on to the 10ft way. I was taken in the ambulance to the Infirmary, and then at my, request brought home to 56, Dorrington-road." In answer to the remark "You have had a very narrow escape," Cragg said he " felt very thankful he was no worse," though obviously he had sustained a great shock and was confined to bed."  During the, war Cragg served in. the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and on demobilisation returned to duty at the Castle Station.Six vehicles on the Carlisle to Manchester freight train were derailed by the collision, one or two being knocked off their bogies, and splintered. A meat van from Perth lost two wheels. Debris was strewn about the metals. The side of the first brake van on the empty passenger train was torn out and it was forced on to its side. Wheels were knocked off and one realised what a marvellous escape Cragg had bad from serious injury. REMOVING THE DEBRIS.
Permanent way men from Lancaster and Carnforth were called out and were kept busy for several hours. ![CRANES LIFTED THE DERAILED WAGONS [Photo by G.Wynspeare Herbert.]](19270806lancasterguardian_3_small.jpg) Breakdown
gangs were summoned from Liverpool and Preston, the former using a
36-ton crane, which could lift the freight vans, and under the
direction of the experienced officials soon cleared away the debris and
put the re-railed wagons on to the metals.Before the powerful crane could get to work the, electric wires to the Green Ayre Station had to be disconnected and the gangs worked till daybreak with the aid of acetylene lamps. Mean while the " fast " down line was used for the night traffic. Fog signals warned approaching trains of the danger, and the Carlisle train, of course, had no difficulty in getting forward, so that the express service was only delayed a matter of 20 minutes. The engine of the freight train was damaged, the water tank having a hole in it, but the driver and fireman escaped injury. The locomotive was removed to the shed up the Greaves Care was taken to expedite the dispatch of perishable goods. Lancaster butchers blamed the accident for a shortage of imported meat on Wednesday. Many townspeople watched the gangers at work on Wednesday morning from the West road bridge and also from the Castle terrace. Three years ago during the Morecambe Carnival an accident occurred about, the same spot. At that time a crowded Morecambe train was entering the station and it cut through a goods train. Nobody was in injured a remarkable tribute at the time to the ,'stability' of the L.M. and S. rolling stock. RAIL SMASH AT LANCASTER - Lancaster Guardian 6th August 1927 [ Home ]
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