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East Kent Gazette, Saturday 31 December 1927.
From the 50 Years ago column so related to 1877.
Rainham. Killed on the Railway.
On Monday evening last, and inquest was held at the "Kent
Volunteers," Rainham, before W. J. Harris, Esq., coroner, on the
body of Thomas Samuel Evenden, age 29, Wheelwright, residing at
Luton, near Chatham, who was killed on the railway here on Saturday
evening.
It appears that the deceased came down to Rainham on Saturday
evening to attend a meeting of a benefit club here of which he is a
member, intending to return home by the last up train. Unfortunately
he stayed in the "Volunteers," which is close to the railway, until
the last minute, and as the train by which he was going past the
signal box he started across the line to go round the tail of the
train to get on the platform, but before he could do so he was
knocked down by the down boat express, the approach of which he had
not perceived. Death was instantaneous. . . .
At the inquest the Jury, is a rider to their verdict called
attention to the danger of this level crossing, and we learn that
the inhabitants of this part of Rainham are very desirous that an
overway should be erected, as they are obliged to cross the rails to
get to the other part of the parish, the line running over the
public road. Some years ago we recollect, a fatal accident occurred
at the same crossing, and the jury than recommended that the gates
should be locked when trains were due to prevent people from
crossing the line. This was done for a time, but was soon
discontinued.
The victim never made it back to Chatham
and was buried instead on 26 December 1877 in Rainham churchyard
(maybe paid for out of benefit club funds).
Based on the current positioning of the
"up train" and "down boat" lines at Rainham (which is supported by
what I have pasted below) the story suggests the "Kent Volunteer"
was close by on the north side of the railway tracks, and not where
the "Railway Inn" now is on
the south side.
"What side of the tracks do trains
travel on UK?
In the UK, the trains are virtually all driven from the left-hand
seat and the trains go on the left. A lot of this is tradition, as
early trains had to be compatible with existing traffic in the early
days of trains."
Regards,
David Auger.
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East Kent Gazette, Saturday 3 April 1920.
Proposed Tunnel at Rainham.
The medical officer recommended that a closing order be made in
connection with the "Old Volunteer Inn," Station Road, Rainham which
had been unoccupied for about 15 years and was in an insanitary
condition.
The Medical Officer said that the previous day he was informed that
the Railway Company proposed to make a tunnel under the railway, and
if this were done the house would have to come down. The walls were
good, but the place was being made a public convenience of, and that
nuisance would have to be stopped.
The Clerk was instructed to write to the owners and ask them to put
the house into habitable repair. |
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