THE BRAYBROOK CATASTROPHE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 210, 29 May 1908, Page 4

THE BRAYBROOK CATASTROPHE.

/ DRIVER MILBURN'S RECORD; . (FltOM OUB SPECIAL CORBESPONDKKT.) . Sydney, May 16. At tho inquiry concerning tho Braybrobk' 'disaster in Melbourne on Tuesday, the record of Leonard Milburn, tho driver of tho Ben-' digo train when .'it collided with that from Ballarat at tho Braybrook station, was read. It showed that he commenced duty as a greaser in 1876, at.6s. 6d. a day. His pay was at 14s. a day when lie was suspended last month. ' The following list of "punishments" was also read: — ' ' December 1, 1878.—Bent axlo of tender of No. 119 engine, through letting it off road at" Echuca, when holding points'-wrongly! ■ January 11, 1888. —Reprimanded for taking too long a time watering at'Woodend. January 30, 1890:—Fined .£1 for taking Thomastown staff to Preston on 20th'inst. i Juno 16, 1890.—Cautioned for stopping short of platform at Thomastown; went onto next station without guard's signal. Did not seo that fireman looked back when leaving station on May 24. May 29, 1594. —Fined £1 for passing signal at' danger and running through gate at Donnyhrook on sth ult.. ' ■ • , ,s March 24, 1896.—Fined £2 for not examining engine 100 properly before • starting. Want of skill and judgment in firing engines and running at excessive speed through Oakleigh and other stations, on return trip of Governor's special from Korumburra. To bo relieved of duty of nimiing important special trains. -April 20, 1596. : —Fined £1 for-taking wrong signal Footscray, and not reporting it. April 24, 1896.—Appealed to commissioners against fine of £2.' Appeals heard, and commissioners decided that the fine inflicted was not excessive, in that ho admitted he did not examine the engine fully beforo starting, and did run at excessive speed through Oakleigh. For alleged unskilfulness in management' of engine, .tho commissioners considered there might havo been an exenso for not getting better results, and merely- cautioned him,, aiid warned him that his selection to run important specials again would depend upon his future record. April 19, 1897. —Fined £1 for passing signal at danger, and getting ongine off road at Melbourne yard. ■■ ' . 1 April 26, 1897.—Fined £2 for. allowing boiler of engine to run short of water, thus melting lead plug. May 28, 1897. —Appealed against above" fine of £2; appeal heard by Appeal Board, |vho upheld chief mechanical engineer's decision. July 5, 1900—Cautioned for causing collision between his engine and that of Driver Muinford's in Melbourne yard on March 12 last. Attention drawn to tho many punishments' inflicted on him through carelessness. May 8, 1903.—Went on strike, and per-, mittcd to resume on its termination. November 24, . 1903.—Cautioned for running shorty of water with north-eastern passenger train. - j Juno 8, 1904.—Cautioned for not exercising proper care, causing dainago to draw Ecar. ' September 12, 1904. —Cautioned for Jiot managing well, resulting' in drawbar being broken. Juno 3, 1905.—Fined 1} days' pay, and severely cautioned, for breaking drawbar of tnick.' ■ ' Juno 20, 1905. —Fined 1} days' pay for breaking drawbar of truck. Juno 21, 1906. —Final 1} days' pay and sovorcly cautioned for breaking' drawbar of truck on May 30, 1906.