From the Southeastern Gazette, 23 January 1866.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY.

In our last we reported a very serious accident which happened on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway near Beckenham, on Sunday, the 8th inst., and by which John Hasted, aged 19, a native of Seasalter near Whitstable, was killed,

It appeared that shortly after midnight on Saturday a goods train left London, and after calling at Herne-hill it passed the Penge station shortly before four o'clock. Between that station and Beckenham the line of railway crosses a bridge thrown over a small stream, a tributary of the Ravensbourne, which generally flows gently on the depth being from six to twelve inches, but owing to the heavy rains, and the snow of the previous Thursday, the stream was greatly swollen, and the waters rose to a considerable height. This portion of the line is not the London, Chatham, and Dover proper, but it was constructed by the West London and Crystal Palace Company, the bridge in question, which is about four hundred yards from Beckenham station, having been designed by Mr. Fowler, the eminent civil engineer, and it passed into the possession of this company by purchase. The bridge is only about 15ft. above the level of the ground, and it is composed of two abutments and a centre pier, the iron girders crossing resting on the abutments and pier. Through one of the openings the stream flows, and the other is an accommodation road used by Mr. Covell, of Kent House farm, the occupier of the land on both sides of, this part of the line. We may, remark here that the greatest supervision is exercised by the company’s officials with regard to the bridges, the foreman examining them weekly, the inspectors monthly, and the resident engineer occasionally; and on the previous Saturday morning, when this bridge was inspected, it appeared perfectly sound, and the water in the stream was no higher than customary, so that there was the space of about 3ft. on either side of the stream to the brickwork. About midnight a down passenger train passed over the bridge without signs of instability being perceptible, and at about three o’clock in the morning an up goods train also passed over safely. At four minutes to four, however, the time being exactly known by the watch found on the deceased having stopped at that moment, the goods train, composed of about thirty trucks, besides two break vans, and the engine and tender, arrived at the bridge, when the abutment at that side gave way, the engine was carried forward and struck the pier, knocking a portion of it down, and it then fell into the approach road beneath. The tender followed and fell by it, and the break van fell upon the tender, whilst the trucks, which were nearly all filled with merchandise, fell after each other into the stream, until the archway was completely blocked up, and the hinder part of the train was brought to a standstill. The engine driver was thrown from the engine into a hedge, and escaped without very serious injury, but the unfortunate fireman, who had only just been promoted, this being his second journey in that capacity, fell under as the tender turned over, and being caught between that and the pier, he must have been killed instantaneously. The body was not discovered until daylight, when the head alone was visible, but it was so buried in the debris that it was not recovered until Thursday. The head guard in the front break was very little injured, and managed to creep through the window on to the bank, and the second guard, the fourth person in the train, was only stunned for a short time by the sudden shock.

The disappearance of the engine was seen by the signal-man at the Beckenham junction, who was watching the progress of the train, and the noise made by the crashing of the falling trucks was heard at a considerable distance. The telegraph wires having been broken by the snow, it was impossible to forward information of the calamity very speedily, but Mr. Moore, the Station-master at Beckenham, and Mr. Burgess, at Penge, hastened to the scene of the accident with all the assistance they could gather at so short a notice, and means were taken to prevent the approach of trains.

Early in the morning Mr. Bishop, the superintendent, Mr. Mills the resident engineer, Mr. Martley, of the locomotive department, and other officials and workmen, were at the place, and arrangements were made for the continuance of the traffic and the recovery of the property. Up to Monday at noon the passengers had to alight and cross the bridge on foot, and trains were in readiness to continue the journey, but after that time the up-line side of the bridge, which had received little or no injury, was in a fit condition for the trains to pass over. During Sunday and the following days hundreds of persons visited the spot, and a number of the Metropolitan police, under Inspector Linvell, of Bromley, were present and rendered good service by checking trespassing on and over the line, which many of the visitors were disposed to commit. Little difficulty was felt by those who visited the place early on Sunday morning in forming a correct opinion as to the cause of the accident, for during the night the stream had risen several feet, and portions of the embankment below the bridge had been washed away, and the rapid flow of the water through the arch had washed away the foundation at that part of the abutment which gave way, as a hole to the depth of about 5ft. was afterwards found to have been made there.

The body of the unfortunate young man having been recovered on Thursday, the inquest was held at the “Railway Tavern,” Beckenham, on Friday morning, before C. J. Carttar, Esq., and a highly respectable jury. Mr. Church, was present to watch the case on behalf of the company, and the chief officials were also present.

The father of the deceased, a respectable man holding a small quantity of land at Seasalter, having identified the body as that of his son, Thomas Smith, the head guard of the goods train in question; Christopher Barrett, the under guard, Amos Groombridge, signalman at Penge station; William Baxter, signalman at the Beckenham junction; Mr. Moore, the Beckenham station-master; and Mr. Mills, the resident engineer of the London, Chatham, and Dover Company, were severally examined. Their evidence went to substantiate the facts narrated above.

The jury having deliberated a short time in private, the foreman said they had agreed to a simple verdict of “Accidental death,” but left to Mr. Mill, the engineer of the London, Chatham, and Dover Company, the consideration of the evidence taken as to the state of the streams and bridges.

A verdict of “Accidental death” was then recorded.