The Sessional Papers Printed by Order of the House of Lords, or Presented by Royal Command, Session 1852, (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 Excerpt: ...No. 56. Accidents. Great Western Railway. who preceded Mr. White at the Brinscomhe station, states that he was accustomed to send for the waggons at the request of the guard of the goods-train, and that he either accompanied the bank-engine himself or sent a porter, as that was a more convenient course than causing a porter to be sent from the Tetbury Road station. He also states, that he invariably sent scotches with the engine, because the goods-trucks on the Great Western Railway have no breaks attached to them, and no break-van was ever left with the waggons at Tetbury Road, and it might be necessary to stop on the incline. In the present instance the station-master at Brinscombe does not appear to have thought either about a porter or about the breaks, and the station-master at Tetbury Road, or as he was absent from the platform in the office at the time, the porter who attended to, and who, according to the ordinary custom upon the railway, started the train, is highly blameable for having allowed it to proceed without a guard, and without any break-power beyond the enginebreak, in both of which respects the Company's regulations were neglected. I would, however, remark, that it appears to me improper that when a station-master is present at a station any train should be allowed to leave without his direct supervision. The accident appears however to be attributable in the first place to the carelessness of the engine-driver Cripps, who preferred trusting the safety of the waggons to a piece of board, rather than take the trouble to back a few hundred yards to the policeman's box, where scotches were to be had. He appears also to be blameable for having started without a guard. This accident tends to point out how very undesirable it is, under any cir...