From the Kentish Gazette, 7 July 1857.

APPALLING CATASTROPHE ON THE NORTH KENT RAILWAY.

In our last impression we gave an account of the terrific collision which occurred on Sunday night week on the North Kent Railway, causing so great a loss of life as that of eleven persons, and inflicting injuries more or less serious on upwards of thirty others. It occurred a few minutes before eleven o’clock at night, between the Blackheath and Lewisham stations.

The Sunday traffic on the North Kent Railway is very heavy, and for the necessary accommodation of persons returning from Gravesend, and other places of holiday resort, it is usual to run two late trains at short intervals — at 9.15 and 9.30 p.m. — from Strood to London. This line of railway is worked on Tyer’s electric signal system, the simple explanation of which is, that the station master at one station must not allow a coming train to pass before the last departed train has been telegraphed clear of the next station. This system properly carried out, would prevent the possibility of accident.

The scene at St. Thomas’s Hospital, the railway terminus and at the "Plough Inn," Lewisham, where the dead bodies were lying, was heartrending — parents seeking for their children, wives for their husbands, and persons of all classes for relatives or friends.

It is computed that at least forty persons must have been in the open third-class carriage upon which the break van was driven with such dreadful consequences. Several of the passengers had first-class tickets, but preferred to ride in the open carriage in consequence of the oppressive heat of the evening.

DEAD BODIES IDENTIFIED.

Eight were identified, lying at the "Plough Inn," Lewisham, by Monday night; four wounded, were lying also at the "Plough Inn," all dangerously injured; seven were brought on to London, and are lying in St. Thomas’s Hospital, one of whom, Mrs. Boycott of Lambetb, expired on Saturday; thirteen, who had been brought on to St. Thomas’s Hospital, after having their wounds dressed, were, by their own wish, conveyed home in cabs.

Many persons in other carriages, besides that struck, were much bruised and shaken, but all the fatal and serious eases occurred in the last carriage, of which, after the collision, merely the floor framework remained entire. Comparatively few of the carriages were broken, and not more than four left the rails.

The directors of the South Eastern Railway Company immediately instituted an inquiry into the circumstances. The pointsman and railway officials, whose duty was to attend the signals, were at once suspended.

MAGISTERIAL INVESTIGATION.

EXAMINATION OF THE DRIVER AND STOKER.

At the Greenwich police court, on Tuesday, Thomas Perry, 29, and Edward Whiffen, 24, the former an engine driver and the latter a fireman in the service of the South Eastern Railway Company, who stand charged with "neglect of their duty in driving an engine and train of passengers past the danger signal at the Lewisham station on the North Kent Railway, whereby eleven persons were killed, and several others seriously injured, in the parish of Lewisham," were placed at the bar for examination.

Mr. Knight, the superintendent of the South Eastern Railway, was first examined. After explaining the signal system on which the North Kent Railway is worked, he said he was satisfied there must have been something wrong in the telegraph communication between Lewisham and Blackheath. The train run into had been brought up at the Lewisham station, although it was not a station where the train ought to have stopped. In the Blackheath station book there was an entry of the 9.15 train having been signalled back from Lewisham to Blackheath as "all clear" at 10.48. If that signal had been sent, the Lewisham book ought to contain a record that it had been sent. On referring to the Lewisham book there was no such entry.

Mr. Traill said that on leaving Blackheath the prisoners were all correct. The question was as to their conduct after leaving the station.

Mr. Traill adjourned the further hearing until the next day.

He declined to accept bail for the prisoners.

On Thursday the case was renewed. On Mr. Traill having ordered the witnesses on both sides to leave the court, George Abbott, the head guard of the 9.30 train, deposed that when he saw the red light, he put his head out of the window, and then saw a strange light near the ground, which he took to be a light at the end of the train in advance. The engine-driver and fireman could see these lights if they kept a good look out, soon after leaving Blackheath, and there would have been time to apply the break.

E. D. Chapman, the Blackheath station master, said he was on the platform when the 9.30 train arrived, but he left between the two arrivals. The 9.30 train remained two or three minutes at the station. He signalled to the guard to start, having first called to the signal-box to see whether "all was clear up." Griffiths, the porter at the signal, put his head out of the box and said, "All clear up, sir," and the train left. Witness was telling Jupp, who was standing on the platform, that he was glad his day’s work was over, being much wearied and fatigued, and was bidding him good night when he heard the collision. He rushed back and said to Griffiths, "For God’s sake was the signal correct you gave me for the last train?" Griffiths replied, "Yes, yes, it’s entered in my book;" this was in a minute and a half after the train had left. Witness looked at the book and saw that the column for "return signals" was tilled, and the figures were 10.48. Witness always relies entirely on the signal man. Witness then went to the signal-box, and the indicator applying to Lewisham was at "stop all up," indicating that a train was between Blackheath and Lewisham; that implied that Lewisham had acknowledged the approaching departure of an up train. If Lewisham had not acknowledged that the needle would have indicated "All clear up." So that if Lewisham had not acknowledged the departures the indicator would show the departure of the 9.15 train. The state of the telegraph at the Blackheath station immediately after the accident showed that either the signal "All clear up" from Lewisham — without which the 9.30 train ought not to have started from Blackheath — had not been received at Blackheath, or that Lewisham had acknowledged the departure of the 9.30.

Mr. Traill:- Abbott, the guard, said he did not see you on the platform?

Witness:- I was standing only a few yards from him.

John Nelson, station-master at Lewisham, said the 9.15 train from Strood arrived at 10.40. He stopped it, obeying the telegraphic communicator, which showed "Stop all up." The semaphore and distance signals were up. The 9.15 train on coming in did not pass the distant signal, but stopped, and afterwards came within it. It did not come up to the platform. Passengers were waiting on the platform for London. The semaphore and distant signal were at "Hanger" the whole time that the train was stopping. The train remained 18 minutes before the collision occurred. The collision was at 10.55. Witness first saw the 9.30 train when it darted under the bridge. The engine had two white lights in front. Witness does not know of any signal being received from Blackheath between the stopping of the 9.15 train and the collision. David Wilde, the signal man was in his box. Witness knows that White was aware of the train having stopped near the station. The Mid-Kent train had passed five minutes previously, but the red lights were still kept up.

Orders were here given to detain John Griffiths and David Wild, and to bring them up on Saturday next.

Mr. Burgon then asked to have the fireman admitted to bail, but Mr. Traill refused, and the case was adjourned to next day.

THE CORONER’S INQUEST.

On Tuesday Mr. Carttar opened an inquest, at the "Plough," near Lewisham. The evidence of identity having been completed, the coroner issued his warrant for the interment of the bodies. He then suggested that officers of the railway should be first examined. The case was adjourned to Friday.

On Friday the witnesses examined were Mr. John Nelson, the station-master of Lewisham; W. C. Edmonds, of the signal department; Samuel Laxby, office porter; G. Hughes, an extra guard; and Thomas Hill, driver of the 9.15 train. The testimony was the same as that given before the magistrates, which will be found in our report this day.

Mr. Eborall, manager of the Eastern Counties Railway, was then examined as to the want of screw-jacks and other tools at the station. He admitted that a good supply of these articles was necessary, but they did not expect to have these accidents upon every portion of their line. He could not give an opinion as to whether more lives might have been saved if there had been more screw-jacks. It would have been a very difficult and very hazardous thing to have I used them.

A Juror:- It is a general complaint that your up trains are behind time, and that the cause is that you have too few hands to work the trains.

Mr. Eborall:- I defy you to find any station in the kingdom where there are more hands than at Lewisham and on the North Kent line generally; and the trains on the North Kent line keep better time than any out of London (a laugh). There was not much damage done to the engine. Both the 9.15 and the 9.30 trains were heavy trains, on account of the number of passengers.

The Coroner then adjourned the inquest to Friday next.

All the persons lying wounded at St. Thomas’s Hospital, and the "Plough Tavern," Lewisham, are progressing favourably, with the exception of Mr. Poland, whose case is precarious.

EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE-DRIVER, SIGNAL MEN, DAN FIREMAN.

Greenwich Police Court, Saturday, July 4.

Thomas Perry, engine driver; Edward Whitten, fireman; David Wild, signal man at Lewisham; and John Griffiths, signal man of Blackheath station, were brought up before Mr. Traill, on remand from Thursday, charged with neglecting their duty while driving a train, whereby several persons were killed on Sunday evening last.

Mr. Rees appeared for the South Eastern Railway; Mr. Burgon for Perry and Whiffen, driver and fireman of the 9.30 train; Mr. Everest for Wild, the signalman at the Lewisham station; Mr. Smith, of the firm of Whiteside and Smith, appeared for Griffith, signal man.

After some discussion, it was arranged that the evidence should first be given affecting the engine driver and the fireman, and that the case as against the signal men of the Blackheath and Lewisham stations, should be postponed to a later period of the day, Wild and Griffith were accordingly removed from the bar.

The first witness called was George Hughes, the under-guard of the 9.15 train, he stated that he first saw the distance signal about half-way between the two bridges; it was a red light, and was at danger. The train drew up within a very few yards of the semaphore signal, and passed the danger signal at a very slow rate; the wheels were scarcely moving. There was a tail lamp on the train; witness saw it on the train at Strood. There was one red light, which was the proper number, he could not see the light of the danger signal at the point where he was standing when the accident occurred.

Cross-examined by Mr. Burgon:- Was looking for the signal as the train was coming up from Blackheath, and the first place he saw it was between the two bridges. Passed the distance signal at about three miles an hour.

Re-examined by Mr. Rees:- The light was quite clear when witness saw it — as clear as usual.

The witness having signed his deposition, Charles Wiley was called, and the evidence given at his previous examination was read over to him. The witness being further examined by Mr. Rees, said he was head guard of the 9.10 train. After the accident the station-master put some of the fog signals on the line, and the "obstruction code" of signals were applied, he had seen the Lewisham distance signal from the up-platform at Blackheath. The curve did not interfere with the views of the distance signal from Blackheath.

John Nelson, station-master, was re-called, and examined by Mr. Rees. He stated that after the collision had taken place one of the guards started off towards Blackwall to stop anything that might be coming. Witness called him back, and asked him to examine, in company with him, the state of the distance-signal. Abbott, the guard, said, "That is all correct, sir; I have seen it." Witness said, "Never mind; look now at it," and he pronounced it, with witness, to be excellent, in a good position, and everything perfectly right. The signal was full danger on, and nothing whatever wrong with it. It would have been impossible for anyone to have interfered with, tampered with, or in any way have changed its position, between the time of the accident and when he saw it. He saw Parry, the driver, on the engine, and he said to him, "How is this? How came you to pass the red light?" He replied, "Bad job, Mr. Nelson. I did not see it in time to pull up." He made no complaint of the light being bad, or of not being put on.

This having closed the evidence, Wild and Griffiths, the signal porters of Blackheath and Lewisham stations, were placed at the bar, and remanded until Monday, at one o’clock; Perry and Wiffen, the driver and fireman, being remanded until ten o’clock on Thursday.

From the Kentish Gazette, 14 July 1857.

THE LATE CATASTROPHE ON THE NORTH KENT RAILWAY.

COMMITTAL OF THE BLACKHEATH SIGNALMAN.

On Monday David Wild, Lewisham signal porter, and John Griffiths, Blackheath signal porter, were brought up on remand at the Greenwich Police Court, before Mr. Traill. Mr. Trail attended on behalf of the South-Eastern Railway Company, Mr. Everest for Wild, and a gentleman from the office of Mr. Smith for Griffiths.

The first witness called was Samuel Saxby, the office porter at the Lewisham station, who said that on the evening of Sunday week, when the 9.15 train came up from Strood to the Lewisham semaphore, he was called to take charge of the signal-box. Observed that the dials stood "Stop all up" for Blackheath station. No change was made or signal given while he was there.

Mr. V. T. Thompson, special pleader, was next sworn, and said:— On the night of last Sunday week I arrived at the Lewisham station about 20 minutes to eleven o’clock. I took my ticket, and walked straight up the stairs to the up-platform. I saw the lights attached to the engine of a train standing at the Blackheath end of the platform. I saw Wild standing by the signal-box. I understood from him that the train then waiting was not the one for me to go by. I then looked at the dial, and saw the indicator standing "Stop all up," and "All clear down." There were two dials, and to the best of my recollection the indication appeared on both. I left the signal-box about two minutes before the collision. I am sure that was the state of the dial, for I looked two or three times. I saw no change in it. The indicator did not show "All clear up."

I know of no distinction in the dials; I only go by what I read. I saw two red lights at Lewisham Junction — one above the other. I saw the lower one change to "green" about the time the Beckenham train passed, and then again to "red." This happened I should think six or seven minutes before the collision took place.

A printed plan of the dials was here produced by Mr. Rees, and presented to the witness, who on examination said:— On looking at this plan I am enabled to state that the needle was standing at "Stop all up" at the lower left hand corner or division; it was also standing at "stop all up" at the upper part of the left side of the right division, Wild was in charge of the signal-box, and while I was present I saw no other person in his place.

Mr. Rees here intimated that with respect to the prisoners now before the bench he had no further evidence to offer.

Mr. Traill replied that under such circumstances, from the evidence placed before him he should at once discharge Wild — who was then admitted as a witness.

On being sworn he said:— My name is David Wild, and on last Sunday night week, at nine o’clock, I went on duty at Lewisham as signal night porter. About half-past ten I received the signal from Blackheath of the departure of a train. On receiving the signal I gave a return to Blackheath "Stop all up," signifying that the train might come on, but that no other must follow until the signal was altered. I made an entry immediately after I received the signal as being at 10.32. I must have given a signal "All clear up" before another train should leave Blackheath. I never gave such a signal to Blackheath up to the time of the accident. I remained at my box after receiving the signal for five or six minutes, when Mr. Nelson, the station-master, came to me and told me to call Saxby to take my place, as he wanted me to go to the standing train to see if they had room for any more passengers. I was away from the box three or four minutes, and found Saxby in charge when I returned to my box. I was at my box at 10.48, and was in charge of it till the time of the accident, and during that period no person could have any opportunity of touching or altering the signals. No one else went into my box. I received a signal of two beats on the bell from Blackheath about a minute and a half before the accident. I looked at the signal, but I knew they had no light to give me one, as it was standing at Blackheath, "Stop all up." I had given Blackheath that signal at 10.32 and up to the time of the accident it had not been altered. The signal of the two beats I did not enter because it was out of rule. I looked at the dial on hearing the two beats, and shortly afterwards saw the train approaching. I then knew what it meant.

Mr. Traill inquired if the instrument were already at "Stop all up," and it were necessary through an obstruction on the line, independent of a train stopping at a station, to apprise the next station by five beats on the bell, whether it would have any effect on the instrument?

Mr. Knight, superintendent of the outdoor offices on the line, replied, that as the five beats on the bell indicated " Stop all up," and the needle of the instrument already pointed to the same, it would have no effect, the instrument being self-acting.

Mr. Traill committed the prisoner Griffiths for trial, but ordered him to be brought up with the other prisoners, so that they might proceed to Newgate together; and as Mr. Thompson would not be required to give evidence against the other prisoners, he was at once bound over in the required sureties to attend and give evidence at the Central Criminal Court.

The Court then adjourned.

COMMITTAL OF THE ENGINE DRIVER AND FIREMAN.

In consequence of an application made to Mr. Traill, the investigation was resumed on Wednesday.

Mr. Rees attended for the Railway Company, Mr. Burgon for the prisoners Perry and Whiffen, and Mr. Bilton from offices of Messrs. Smith and Whitehead, for Griffiths.

It having been intimated that although Griffiths was formally committed there was still some evidence to be produced, Mr. Traill said the case was still open, and if such was the case, such evidence should be first taken, and the other prisoners were consequently removed from the dock.

The first witness called by Mr. Rees was Mr. J. D. Chapman, station-master at Blackheath. He said:— I was on the platform on the arrival and departure of the 9.15 train from Strood on last Sunday night week, and on the arrival of the 9.30 from Strood. I merely left for one or two minutes. Griffiths was in the signal-box the whole of the time. I received the signal from him to start both trains. Previously to doing so I called out to him, while standing about 15 or sixteen yards from the box, "Is it all clear up?" He returned, "All clear up, sir." The train then departed. About a minute and a half afterwards I heard the crash. I do not think it could have been heard by the prisoner, owing to his box being in a confined space. I ran back to the signal-box and exclaimed, "For God’s sake, Griffiths, was that signal right which you gave me for the last train?" He replied, "Yes, sir; it is entered in my book." I gave a momentary glance at his book, and believe that the entries in the column of the 9.15 train were filled up. I then looked at the dial, which presented from Lewisham "Stop all up." That might be the signal for either train. It could not be the signal for either train unless the "All clear up" signal had been given from Lewisham for the 9.15 train. On the supposition that the signal given at 10.53 from Blackheath to Lewisham to the 9.30 train had not been acknowledged by Lewisham, the "Stop all up" signal must have been the signal of the 9.15 train; so that the state of the dial when I saw it evidently showed that the "All clear up" had not been received from Lewisham for the departure of the 9.15 train.

Mr. Nelson, the Lewisham station-master, re-examined:— I was on the platform at Lewisham when the 9.15 train arrived. As near as I can say, it was about 10.40. Ordinarily that train should not have stopped at Lewisham, but owing to the "stop all up" signal being presented at Lewisham Junction it was necessitated. Upon its arrival it did not come to the distance signal, but came to a stop, and then proceeded to within the distance signal. The train remained there without accident until about 11.55. The distance signal and the semaphore still stood at danger. They had never been changed. The 9.30 train had precisely the same signals presented to them which had brought up the 9.15 train. Wild, the signal man, was on duty at the time, and on the arrival of the 9.15 train I observed him in his box. I knew the train was there and the reason of its detention.

A corroboration of the evidence given by Wild was here entered into by witness.

This being the whole of the evidence as regarded Griffiths.

The witnesses were then bound over to attend and give evidence against John Griffiths at the Central Criminal Court, who stands committed on the charge of manslaughter.

Mr. Bilton applied to have the prisoner admitted to bail, but Mr. Trail refused, ordering his removal to Maidstone gaol till Thursday.

Perry, the engine-driver, and Whiffen, the fireman, were next placed in the dock.

Mr. Rees briefly stated that, with reference to the prisoners, the first witness he should call would be Thomas Hills, who said:— I was driver of the 9.15 train from Strood on the night of the accident. I reached Blackheath about 10.32. I was due there 10.17. We were detained at Woolwich and Charlton by signals. While stopping at Blackheath I looked for the signal at Lewisham, but could not see the distance signal. It was a dark night; the moon was cloudy. When I saw the light it was a faint red, not a clear full red. On leaving Blackheath, not seeing a white or "all right" light on, I ran about 100 yards, and shut the steam off before I saw the red light. I then let the train drop down to the distance signal. It is the duty of a driver on approaching a distance signal to stop, if possible. From the point where I first saw the distance signal I had no difficulty, from the speed at which I was going, in pulling up at such signal. On arriving at Lewisham I pulled up short of the semaphore signal 40 or 50 yards. I have been five years on the line. When I pass a distance signal, when all is right, I pass at the rate of 10 or 12 miles an hour. The 9.30 passed the signal at "danger" at the same speed I judge from what I saw. On receiving the order to start, I often see the signals against me at the next station, caused by shunting, or something of that sort, and if such signals are not removed I drop down to their direction.

John Lee Harris was next called, and said:— I am clerk in the superintendent’s office of the company. I was a passenger in the 9.15 train on the night of the accident. As I approached the Lewisham station I saw the distance signal. It was a very good light and I remarked to the lady who was with me that that was where we should stop.

Mr. W. C. Edmonds, engineer, of Gravesend, was called, and produced a plan of the line from the station to Blackheath to the Blackheath end of Lewisham platform, making a distance of 1,285 yards.

Mr. Rees said that was the whole of the evidence he had to place before his worship.

Mr. Traill said it would now be his duty to send the prisoners for trial on the charge of manslaughter, but they would be again brought up for further evidence as to the number of deaths which had occurred. He must give due praise to Mr. Rees for the manner in which the case had been laid before him; and the observations he had made on particular points would be embodied in a letter to the directors for them to act upon if applicable, a transcript of which he should also forward to the Board of Trade.

The witnesses were then bound over and the prisoners stand committed to take their trial at the next sessions of the Central Criminal Court.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.

An adjourned inquest on the bodies of the persons killed by the recent collision at Lewisham was re-opened on Friday at the "Plough Tavern." Mr. Bodkin, the barrister, appeared for the Company; Mr. Armstrong, for the deceased Francis Drake; Mr. Soloman for Mr. Wilcox and Miss Howe; Mr. Norton for the relatives of J. W. Turner; Mr. Burgon for the driver and fireman, Parry and Whiffen; Mr. W. J. Scott for the relatives of Franklin, and Colonel Yolland for the Board of Trade. The evidence taken first was that of David Wyld, porter and signalman at Lewisham, who said he recollected the 9.15 train coining in. The signal was given "all clear up." After he got the signal of the train 10.32 leaving Blackheath he made an entry in his book. The dial-plate showed "stop all up." If the train had gone, it was his duty to signal "all clear up;" he did not give that signal. The signals were against the incoming train; he saw the distance and semaphore signals were all right. Mr. Chapman, the Blackheath station-master, then said he despatched the 9.15 train at 10.32 or 33 in consequence of having received information from the signalman Griffiths, that all was "clear up." He did not look at the indicator till after the accident. At 10.53 the 9.30 train arrived; he saw the passengers get in, he then called to the signal-box, "Is it all clear up?" Griffiths was there; his answer was, "It is all clear up." He then called to the rear guard, Abbott, "All right," the train then went on. He considered the blame rested between the signalman at Blackheath (Griffiths) and the signalman at Lewisham (Wyld).

The roar guard and extra guard of the 9.30 train then gave evidence. The former had seen the red light at the tail of the 9.15 train; the latter had not seen it. They both saw the distance signal against them, and put on their breaks, thereby greatly reducing the speed of the train.

The inquiry was adjourned till yesterday.