A long and important statement was made by Sir Guy
Grand, the manager of the Midland, as to the precautions taken by the company after the accident at Hawes Junction three years ago. They had set aside a special sum of £100,000 to carry out the recommendations of the Board of Trade Report, with a view to minimizing the peril from the human element; But on the question of gaii v. electricity, a careful inquiry into the statistics of accidents, with due regard to expert railway opinion abroad, had convinced the board that it would be premature to revolutionize their policy as to the illumination of railway vehicles. He went at great length into the question of the coal used, denied that they had been actuated by motives of economy, but, while pointing out that complaints had ceased, admitted that the coal supplied on that day to the two engines contained an undue amount of small coal and slack, and gave it as his opinion that this circumstance should be taken into full account in weighing the amount of blame incurred by Driver Caudell.
Previous page
