South Eastern Gazette Tuesday 10 January 1865.

BLACKHEATH. THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH KENT RAILWAY. (Click for details)

On Tuesday afternoon, C. J. Carttar, Esq., one of the coroners for West Kent, held an adjourned inquiry into the circumstances attending the deaths of Edward Allum, John Cullen, and Joseph Hunt, all in the employ of the South Eastern Railway Company, who lost their lives from injuries received by the frightful collision of Friday, the 12th ult.

The jury first assembled at the "Freemasons' Tavern, Woolwich, when it was determined to adjourn to the Royal Marine Hospital, for the purpose of taking the deposition of Randall, the breakman of the ballast train. The court having reassembled at the hospital, Randall was sworn, and stated that at the time of the accident he was quite certain the lamps attached to his break were lighted. He did not, when the train came to a stop, ask any of the platelayers for a Lucifer, and did not hear any other person ask for one. No person asked witness for a light. When the train came to a stop he heard some person call out, "Put the break on," but he did not know the voice. Lancaster, the guard on the train, did not come back to him just before the collision, and tell him to put the break on. Some person called out, "Tom, put the break on;" but he could not tell who it was. The tunnel at the time was full of dense smoke. In reply to other questions the witness stated that when the collision took place he fell off the break on to the six-foot way, and his life was thus saved, as he escaped with three of his toes being cut off. The enquiry was then again adjourned for a fortnight.

(Further Coroners Report)

From the Kentish Gazette, 10 January 1865.

THE COLLISION IN BLACKHEATH TUNNEL.

On Tuesday, Mr. C. J. Carttar, the coroner for the western division of Kent, resumed an investigation at the "Freemasons’ Tavern," Woolwich Dockyard, relative to the deaths of Edwin Allum and John Cullen, who, with others, lost their lives by the collision which occurred in the Black-heath Tunnel on the 9th ult.

The Coroner said that since the jury had met there had been on Saturday last another death — that of Joseph Hunt, the driver.

The jury having been re-sworn in order to include the case of Hunt, after John Forest Hunt, of Folkestone, in Kent, had stated that he had seen the body and identified it as that of his brother, the Coroner and jury proceeded to the hospital in order to take the evidence of one of the witnesses who was there confined from injuries received by the accident. The unfortunate man, Thomas Randall, was then brought in upon a chair carried by bearers.

The Coroner said, - I have taken the evidence of the two platelayers, and I must impress upon you upon this solemn occasion to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth.

In reply to questions put by the Coroner, he then said that his house is at 23, Brook’s Place, Old Kent Road. He was breaksman to the ballast-train at the time of the collision. He was in the last carriage on the ballast-train. The tail lamps were lighted. The platelayers were in the next compartment of the next carriage to him. He did not, while in the tunnel, ask any of the platelayers or any one else for a lucifer or a light, and no one asked him for a lucifer or a light. He had his lamp. No one told him to put on his break and keep it on. Some one said, "Put your break on, Tom," but he did not know who it was. There was a great fog, and the tunnel was full of smoke. No one got out of the carriage. He did not know who spoke to him. He did not know that Lancaster spoke to him. He was not aware that the train was going to be divided, nor was he aware that it was divided. He did not hear any one speak at all, except to tell him to put his break on. He felt the train going back, and he dropped his break in order to stop it. He did not know who said to him, "Put the break on." He had seen Lancaster since he had been in the hospital. It was last Friday week. He returned on the Monday afterwards, and on Friday week he asked witness how he was getting on. There was no conversation as to what had taken place in the tunnel.

The Coroner:- I may as well tell you explicitly that Lancaster has sworn that he came back to you and spoke to you before the collision.

Witness:- That is not true.

The Coroner:- He states that he came back to you and told you to keep your break on. Are you sure that it was not his voice that told you to put your break on?

Witness:- I do not know that it was his voice.

The Coroner:- Did he not come to you and take a light?

Witness:- I never spoke to Lancaster, nor he to me, unless it was he who told me to put the break on. The tunnel was very full of smoke, and I could not see anything. I was about to proceed back and stop the trains, but had not time. No one else has been to see me except Mr. Pratts.

The Coroner:- Has there been any communication between you and Lancaster to the effect that you were to hold your tongue?

Witness:- No, sir, nothing of the sort.

The Coroner:- Now, there are two platelayers who have sworn that some one came and said, "Keep the break on." Was it Lancaster?

Witness:- I do not know that it was Lancaster, but it might have been.

The Coroner:- This is all the examination I intend to make of this man to-day. I would advise you (witness) to hold no communication with any one on the subject of this accident.

Witness:- I will not, sir.

Dr. Campbell said it was impossible to state how long it would be before the witness would be about. It would take a fortnight at least.

The inquiry was then adjourned for a fortnight.

From the Kentish Gazette, 24 January 1865.

BLACKHEATH.

The Blackheath Railway Accident.

On Tuesday afternoon Mr. C. J Carttar, the Coroner for West Kent, resumed, at the "Freemason’s Tavern," near the Dockyard station at Woolwich, the investigation into the deaths of Joseph Hunt, Edwin Allum, and John Cullin, who were killed, with five others, in the Blackheath tunnel of the North Kent Railway, on the 16th of December. The Coroner said that he had not been able to complete the other inquest at Blackheath, and the jury had adjourned over for a fortnight to give ample time for the recovery of some of the persons wounded, he had no doubt the inquiry would then be brought to a termination, and he would then know what it would be necessary to bring before the present jury. At Blackheath they had taken a great deal of evidence, but having arrived at the facts, much of it could be struck out. He proposed to adjourn to a week after the Blackheath inquiry and not before, as the Sessions of the Central Criminal Court would be on in the earlier part of the week, and there would be some difficulty, perhaps, arising from the decision of the jury as to the time of the sittings. The jury acquiesced in this course, and the inquiry was adjourned until the 2nd proximo. It was stated incidentally that the whole of the injured passengers were recovering satisfactorily, and that no further deaths were anticipated among the persons in the employ of the company who were wounded by the collision.