But it went on ... and on. The basic idea that lookouts were necessary did very slowly become accepted, but as late as the 1960s their use was for the ganger to decide. With a clear view of a straight track, or with only a few workers, they were still not being posted. The number of inquests reported in the papers does come down, but they still give verdicts of accidental death or misadventure, often with a rider that lookouts should be posted. Each is approached as a unique event, and the overall position doesn't really get taken into account until the Health and Safety at Work act of 1974.
There were several platelayer fatalities on the branch line, one happened in 1910 and with this one, look outs were recommended. I was surprised (with my limited railway knowledge) that by 1910 there was no obligation to have a look out for the platelayers, but I'm clearly wrong from what you're all telling me.
This line, like many others was also used as a diversion line, it's quite clear from a platelayer's perspective you can't just say the 9.00am train has just gone by and there's no more until the 10.00am one. Anything could come down the line at any time.
so there were a lot against railway companies brought by widows and those injured. The ones I saw all failed, on the grounds that the "victim" had not been careful enough when using a level crossing, getting out of a train that moved, etc.
Yes, that's what I'm seeing in those newspapers, especially trying to get on / off a moving train, doesn't look like they were on the whole successful, but one lady did win £244 for the death of her husband at Great Harwood station in 1901.
A Mr. Edward Harford, secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, is quoted in the press at the time as being of the opinion that the bulk of these fatal accidents were quite preventable if only the companies would spend the money on proper safeguards.
Definitely preventable, I for one wouldn't have wanted to work as a platelayer back then knowing no one was watching out for you.
Because of a miscalculation over distances, the lookout was much closer to the break in the rails than he should have been, so the tidal boat train was unable to stop in time, with tragic consequences.
A very sad incident, and you can almost here some railway companies saying we've tried look outs - and look what happened.
The ones I saw all failed, on the grounds that the "victim" had not been careful enough when using a level crossing
The worst one for me was indeed a level crossing accident (really an occupation crossing) near Dunkirk fam close to the village of Read. Late one December's night in 1880 a farmer was crossing the tracks when he was hit by a train from Burnley. Both he, and his horse died and the cart was smashed to pieces.
The newspaper articles do show a darker side the my old branch line, however not everything reported was bad... During LMS days, a pigeon was struck by a train, the fireman climbed into the tender and rescued it.
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