Hellfire
Member
- Joined
- 14 Dec 2012
- Messages
- 573
I've come across a newspaper account of a derailment near St Germans in May 1859 on the newly opened stretch of line between Liskeard and Plymouth. It seems an engine jumped the tracks on the Grove viaduct and crashed down into the creek below. The driver, the stoker and one of the guards was killed and there were numerous injuries.
Two things stood out for me in the account of the accident.
Firstly, the surviving guard, there were two on the train, had started his duties at 5am in London and had been expected to stay with the train until it got to Truro, a shift lasting more than 16 hours. Apparently, according to the evidence, it was a sign of seniority if you got the longer shifts.
Secondly, the company employed an average of four men to maintain each mile of track between Plymouth & St Germans.
Amazingly the inquest into the accident took place 48 hours after the event and returned a verdict of accidental death, there being no evidence of negligence or a failure to maintain the track. There would probably be an enquiry lasting months if it happened today. Times certainly change.
Two things stood out for me in the account of the accident.
Firstly, the surviving guard, there were two on the train, had started his duties at 5am in London and had been expected to stay with the train until it got to Truro, a shift lasting more than 16 hours. Apparently, according to the evidence, it was a sign of seniority if you got the longer shifts.
Secondly, the company employed an average of four men to maintain each mile of track between Plymouth & St Germans.
Amazingly the inquest into the accident took place 48 hours after the event and returned a verdict of accidental death, there being no evidence of negligence or a failure to maintain the track. There would probably be an enquiry lasting months if it happened today. Times certainly change.
