GRANTHAM TRAIN WRECK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13396, 26 January 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

GRANTHAM TRAIN WRECK.

AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY. XriEUTKXAvr-CoLONKi. von Do.vop's report ,to the Board of Trade on the disaster to a 4 . Great Northern train at Grantham on Septerber 19 was issued on December 13. On that occasion the Scotch 'express from 1 King's Cross to Edinburgh left the rails and •was wrecked, the driver and fireman of the engine, nine passengers, and a post oflice mail van attendant being killed on the spot. Two other passengers subsequently died. Thirteen passengers and four servants of the company were seriously injured. Colonel von Donop states that in spite of the warning which Fleetwood, the driver, received from his signals to stop Grantham, he ran through that station at a high rate of speed. This disregard of the danger I signals was clearly the primary cause of the .disaster. It certainly appears, states the report, : that neither of the two guards of the train , was sufficiently on the lookout when approaching Grantham station. Neither of these men seemed to have shown himself on this occasion equal to his responsibilities. The only conclusions which can be drawn from the evidence are: — 1. That the train ran through the station ■at a speed of 50 miles an hour, and possibly more. 2. That it is probable that steam was turned off before the derailment occurred, but, judging from the speed of the train it does not appear to have been turned off until very shortly before the accident. 3. That it appears probable that the brakes were applied before the derailment occurred, 'but that it is uncertain at what point this was done. It seems probable, however, that 'they were not applied, tit all events, until ■ the engine was actually passing through the station. There is no reason to blame the vacuum brake". The question of Fleetwood's sobriety had been specially inquired into owing to ~ the fact of evidence being produced to the effect that Talbot had expressed fears of working with Fleetwood on account of the latter being addicted to drink. Nothing, however, . was discovered to support the ..'"view that Fleetwood was addicted to overdrinking. The report of a struggle on the footboard was found devoid of foundation. . Discussing the theory Mat Fleetwood was .seized with sudden illness, the inspector tays that this is the most probable explanation for his failure to stop .at Grantham; but, in the absence of direct evidence, this, .the primary cause of the accident, must ever ixemaio a mystery., .