THE WEST HAMPSTEAD COLLISION

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 25

THE WEST HAMPSTEAD COLLISION

♦ LONDON, January 12. Hollis, the signalman, wa6 acquitted on a. charge of manslaughter in connection with the recent West Hampstead railway coin lision. The disaster occurred at a- few minute* before 8 o'clock on the morninjr of October 26. There was a thick fop, and the fogmen wore at their posts on the line. Tha 7.45 electric train to Nea9den, composed of six corridor loaches, was standing in "West Hampstead Station, and owing to the weather was delayed there several minutes. While it was waiting, the two or throe horrified spectators on the platform saw another electric train; on -the same line and bound in the same direction, charge out of the fog and crash into the rear coach of the stationary train. Eye-witnes6es speak of a sudden, roar like an explosion, followed by the crash of splintering woodwork and breaking gla6«. - The colliding train bored into the station-" ary one in an amazing manner, one tele' scoping into the other " like the closing up of a matchbox. The first stationary oar was partially lifted, and the moving train tor© Lte way through the shattered framework until its leading coach came to rest more than halfway inside -the other. The tw« were inextricably wedged together, andboth were shattered. The- three passengers who were kil'ed and the majority of the ' ininred were in the rear coach of the stationary train. It is believed that the three were killed outright, although it took some time to liberate them. In each ease death appears to have resulted from the impact of lie collodion, no one having «uffered harm by coming in oontaot with the live Tails. Most of the injured were able to climb out of the wrecked carriage without assistance. Their injuries were sliffbt, consisting chiefly of cuts on the hao.de and face caused by the broken glass. One man is slightly, injured in the back, and all sustained bruises and shoqk. Motorman Smith was the only case considered sufficiently eerious to bi - detained at the hospital.