Scotch Express Railway Accident, Preston

iBase ID

214166

Reference identifier

30118072442654

Title

Scotch Express Railway Accident, Preston

Place

Preston

Personal names

General notes

Scene of the railway accident to the Scotch  Express, 13.7.1896, on the sharp curve to the north of Preston Station.  LNWR engines, Vulcan and Shark. One person killed.
Derby Daily Telegraph July 13 1896
A SCOTCH EXPRESS WRECKED, ONE PASSENGER KILLED: OTHERS INJURED. 
A report has reached London to the effect that the express which left London shortly after eight last night for Aberdeen reached Preston soon after midnight, and when just beyond the station the engines jumped the rails, dragging with them several carriages. One man is stated to have been killed. A Liverpool correspondent telegraphs that the express reached Preston all right and passed through the station at about 50 miles an hour. Just outside the station, however, the two engines jumped some points and left the rails, followed by six sleeping cars, which overturned and were dragged along for some distance. One passenger, believed to be a German gentleman named Meyer, was killed and terribly mutilated. The other passengers, and also the engine-driver am! fireman, escaped with a shaking. A Preston correspondent telegraphs that the 8 o'clock express from Euston to the north met with a frightful accident at Preston shortly after midnight. The express split up into two portions at Crewe, and two engines proceeded north through Preston with seven coaches. The number of passengers was small, not exceeding 30 or 40. At 12.16, a minute behind time, the fast express just after passing Preston caught the Dock-street points, and was hurled with terrilic force from the rails, the crash being distinctly heard by the pointsmen in the boxes at Preston Station. The coaches were all more or less wrecked, and the scene of the accident, viewed in the early morning light, presented a terrible spectacle, and one could not help wonder how it was possible that all the passengers save one escaped with their lives. One of the attendants in the Carlisle sleeping saloon sustained a fractured collar bone, his escape being a most miraculous one, as was also that of other passengers. Mr. David Steele, of the Royal liank, Forfar, had to be unearthed from a pile of wreckage, but when medically examined was found to have sustained only superficial injuries. Donald Mayor, able seaman, whose address is unknown, met with his death in a frightful manner. His body was found horribly mangled in a sitting position near the door of the carriage in which he had been travelling. His head was jammied between his legs, his scalp was completely torn off, as was also his left arm, whilst the other arm was found hanging by a piece of skin. One voting woman, distracted by the shock and fearful scene, ran up the line, crying, "Am I alive? Am I alive? Thank God, thank God." The uatimge to tiie permanent way was considerable. The train fou'.ed other metals, tearing then: and sleepers out of the ground, and in some placcs smashing the line?. Two large telegraph poles were smashed completely off, and one of the engines (The Shark) had its chimney torn completely away. After demolishing a workman's cabin the engine stopped within a yard of an pmbankmcnt wall, which if it had crashed through would have meant a fall of 20 feet on to a factory below. The following is a list of the killed and injured. Killed: Donald Mayor, aged able seaman, who was journeying to Aberdeen to make a visit prior to tailing for the Cape. Injured : William Pine, carriage attendant London and North-western Railway Co., of Harlesden, London, hand cut; Joseph Phillips, engine fitter, 16, Brynner-street, Shrewsbury, contused elbow and crushed fiugers ; David Steele, of Forfar, contused head; Alfred Coles, civil eneiueer, 45, Rue de Cour- celles, Paris, cut about the knee ; Reginald Downton, carpet weaver, Dundee, cuts on the chin, nose, and right knee ; Miss Mary Ann Smith, governess, of London, wound on right ann; Child, engine driver, shaken ; Gell, engine driver, also shaken ; fireman of engine Vulcan, name unknown, collar- bone broken. The same correspondent states that the train which met with this accident, although it was not to have been engaged in the race to the north, is asserted to have performed the journey from Wigan to Carlisle, a distance of 105 miles, in 105 minutes. Eight of the pasnengers who were practically uninjured left Preston by the second portion of the train which was stopped at Preston for that purpose, and proceeded on the journey- Press Association says the officials of the London and North Western Railway Company left Euston early this morning for the scene of the accident.

Scene of the railway accident to the Scotch Express, 13.7.1896, on the sharp curve to the north of Preston Station. LNWR engines, Vulcan and Shark. One person killed.
Derby Daily Telegraph July 13 1896
A SCOTCH EXPRESS WRECKED, ONE PASSENGER KILLED: OTHERS INJURED.
A report has reached London to the effect that the express which left London shortly after eight last night for Aberdeen reached Preston soon after midnight, and when just beyond the station the engines jumped the rails, dragging with them several carriages. One man is stated to have been killed. A Liverpool correspondent telegraphs that the express reached Preston all right and passed through the station at about 50 miles an hour. Just outside the station, however, the two engines jumped some points and left the rails, followed by six sleeping cars, which overturned and were dragged along for some distance. One passenger, believed to be a German gentleman named Meyer, was killed and terribly mutilated. The other passengers, and also the engine-driver am! fireman, escaped with a shaking. A Preston correspondent telegraphs that the 8 o'clock express from Euston to the north met with a frightful accident at Preston shortly after midnight. The express split up into two portions at Crewe, and two engines proceeded north through Preston with seven coaches. The number of passengers was small, not exceeding 30 or 40. At 12.16, a minute behind time, the fast express just after passing Preston caught the Dock-street points, and was hurled with terrilic force from the rails, the crash being distinctly heard by the pointsmen in the boxes at Preston Station. The coaches were all more or less wrecked, and the scene of the accident, viewed in the early morning light, presented a terrible spectacle, and one could not help wonder how it was possible that all the passengers save one escaped with their lives. One of the attendants in the Carlisle sleeping saloon sustained a fractured collar bone, his escape being a most miraculous one, as was also that of other passengers. Mr. David Steele, of the Royal liank, Forfar, had to be unearthed from a pile of wreckage, but when medically examined was found to have sustained only superficial injuries. Donald Mayor, able seaman, whose address is unknown, met with his death in a frightful manner. His body was found horribly mangled in a sitting position near the door of the carriage in which he had been travelling. His head was jammied between his legs, his scalp was completely torn off, as was also his left arm, whilst the other arm was found hanging by a piece of skin. One voting woman, distracted by the shock and fearful scene, ran up the line, crying, "Am I alive? Am I alive? Thank God, thank God." The uatimge to tiie permanent way was considerable. The train fou'.ed other metals, tearing then: and sleepers out of the ground, and in some placcs smashing the line?. Two large telegraph poles were smashed completely off, and one of the engines (The Shark) had its chimney torn completely away. After demolishing a workman's cabin the engine stopped within a yard of an pmbankmcnt wall, which if it had crashed through would have meant a fall of 20 feet on to a factory below. The following is a list of the killed and injured. Killed: Donald Mayor, aged able seaman, who was journeying to Aberdeen to make a visit prior to tailing for the Cape. Injured : William Pine, carriage attendant London and North-western Railway Co., of Harlesden, London, hand cut; Joseph Phillips, engine fitter, 16, Brynner-street, Shrewsbury, contused elbow and crushed fiugers ; David Steele, of Forfar, contused head; Alfred Coles, civil eneiueer, 45, Rue de Cour- celles, Paris, cut about the knee ; Reginald Downton, carpet weaver, Dundee, cuts on the chin, nose, and right knee ; Miss Mary Ann Smith, governess, of London, wound on right ann; Child, engine driver, shaken ; Gell, engine driver, also shaken ; fireman of engine Vulcan, name unknown, collar- bone broken. The same correspondent states that the train which met with this accident, although it was not to have been engaged in the race to the north, is asserted to have performed the journey from Wigan to Carlisle, a distance of 105 miles, in 105 minutes. Eight of the pasnengers who were practically uninjured left Preston by the second portion of the train which was stopped at Preston for that purpose, and proceeded on the journey- Press Association says the officials of the London and North Western Railway Company left Euston early this morning for the scene of the accident.

Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Original image size

16.4/11.4 cm

Year of image

1896

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Locator

Preston Scientific Society v4p30

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MARIO Map

Collection link

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