GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to report for
the information of the Board of Trade that, in accordance with the Order of
December 3rd, I have held an inquiry into the circumstances attending the
accident which occurred on October 31st, at Sheffield, on the Great Central
Railway, whereby engine-driver William Shenton was fatally injured.
About 5.45 p.m. Shenton was walking from the
passenger station to the engine-shed by way of the line. He was accompanied for
a portion of the distance by fireman Walter Edwards, who left the line at
Bridgehouses to proceed to his home. About 6.20 p.m., engine-driver George
Bull, who was walking along the line from the station to the engine-shed, found
Shenton lying just outside the up line about 450 yards east of No. 1 signal
cabin. Shenton had sustained fatal injuries.
No one
witnessed the accident, but it is probable that he was struck by the engine of
the 4 p.m. passenger train from Manchester to Sheffield, which passed a down
passenger train between No. 1 and No: 2 signal cabins.
A notice is
posted in the engine shed prohibiting enginemen from •:walking between the
station and engine-shed by way of the line, and the accident was due to a
breach of this notice on the part of Shenton. I have no reason to believe that
breaches of this instruction have hitherto been overlooked by the officials of
the Company, but the fact should be noted that, Edwards, Bull and his fireman
were all walking on the line contrary to instructions. It would appear that the
notice which has hither to been taken of breaches of the instructions has not
had sufficient effect, and the attention of the Company should be drawn to the
point.
Shenton was on
duty from 9.30 a.m. to 5.23 p.m. He should have booked off duty at the station
at the latter time, but had neglected to do so.
I have. &c,
J. H. ARMYTAGE