Stuck to His Engine.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5235, 25 August 1891, Page 2

Stuck to His Engine.

Prior to the 29 th October, 1872, the name of Bamuel Wesrlake was unknown beyond, a very narrow circle in Cornwall. A quiet man, and ever on the alert, like all good engine-drivers, he possessed those modest but self-reliant features which invariably command the respect of others. For years he had driven up and down those uneven Cornish railways, until he was familiar with every object past which he sped ; and could even tell by the running of his engine on the darkest night every mile of the road. On market days he could always tell you how many oountry passengers would be waiting or alighting at wayside stations, and he gloried aa much in his engino hs un Arab does in his horsa. Like

many other drivers, his hours were often

far too long , ; but then, the passengers were not like your particular city merchant, who will occasionally lecture the engine-driver

because the train had jolted at points, or for being a minute late; and if that unfortunate workman dares to offer a word of explanation, may probably find himself reported to headquarters for "impertinence to passengers." Well, on this October morning , in 1872, a train of 20 trucks, laden with 150 tons of china clay, on its way to the pottery districts, crept slowly up the incline from Bnrngullow citation to Mt. Austell, and as the line was a single one it was necessary for the goods to shunt at the latter station, in order to allow the express train driven by Westlake to rush through from Parr to Truro. On this occasion, however, the driver of the luggage train put too much

steam on, and ran past the platform, and

began to epeed down the steep decline which begins at this point. In vain were the brakes applied—they were out of order—and the heavy train, gathering momentum at every yard, rushed rapidly down in the direction of the panting express, which had already left Parr, and therefore a frightful collision seemed inevitable. The frightened officials of St. Austell, and the few waiting passengers, dashed down the line to render the needful help to such sufferers as thoy shortly expected to bo left on their hands. All unoonsciouß the driver of the express looked at his watch, saw that he was well up to time, and, having seen that all was right, kept his eyes fixed ahead. But

judge of his horror, as he turned a curve to see right in front of him, and less than a milo away, a goods train hurrying towards him with frightful speed. For a second his head stood still—his ph,eeka blanched—and then his presence of mind returned. He whistled to his guard to apply th,e brake power; he reversed his engine ; and during tho few momenta it

took his train to come to a standstill, he noted with dreadful anxiety how quickly the "goods' , was approaching For the moment hie train pau*od. He pusilv have leapt to tho ground, and thus have been assured of his own lifo. But at what a saorifice ? Clenching his teeth, and casting the temptation from him, ho determined to die, if necessary, at his post. And now his engine began to move more

quickly, but the pursuer gained yard upon yard. Greasy rags, oil, and everything of an inflammable nature Westlako could obtain he threw iuto the firo, and thereby strained the engine to its utmost power. But meanwhile tho soreauns of women isnd the shouts of men reached hia ears, impelling him, if anything, to greater exertions; for the passengers, surprised at the rtopping and reversing of their train, looked out of the -windows, and, toeing how matters stood, concluded thore was no escape from cortaiti death. Giving way to despair, many fainted ; oth'-rs fought aau struggled iv tho vain that thoy might thereby e.soupe ; while a few buvnuio for tho time insane. Despite tho heroic driver's efforts the run-

away still gained—now it wus a hundred yards away ; but the distance was speedily reduced to fifty, then to tweuty, and in a few seconds to tun. And now Parr Station came in view with its crowd of excited occupants, watoliiug willi breathless fear the terrible nice. Both engines seumod like things ox. lifo, the express sending forth iv suur]g-lit fcmoko, and jolting and ntttlitig along tbo rail, as though it wi-ru i;onsuiou-> that the oQOdiiier was bent upon itd destruction. Thy trump, aa he trudged wearily over the '

road ; the lagging schoolboy; the housewife a short dietanoe from the line—all and sundry within earshot heard the strange commotion, and anticipating a dreadful climax, hurried in pursuit. And now the two trains are within a yard of each other, the buffers are on the point of touching when, as if by a miracle, the express gradually forges ahead, for We«tlake's stoking has bpgan to tell, and with the decreasing momentum of the goods train, ite driver obtained control, and to the joy and astonishment of the spectators, and to the unbounded gratitude and thankfulness of the imprisoned passengers, both trains come to a standstill at Parr Statiou. And now, •when the tenison was paused, and the belated travellers rushed from the carriages weeping, gasping, white, and dishevelled, the truest hero-worship swept their souls, a mighty cheer rent the air, and sex and age, and the flimsy barriers of clash were forgotten, as all rushed to shake the hero's hand, and thank him for his courage. And this homage was to him more confusing than the life and death race in which he had just been engaged, and in stammering sentences he assured them that he had but done his duty.