A terrible railway accident took place at Stoat's Nest Station,
some fifteen miles from Victoria on the Brighton line, last Saturday afternoon. The second portion of the express which left Brighton at 3.40 p.m. was running at a high rate of speed over the crossing-points—some two hundred yards from the central or " island " platform of the station— which connect the new with the old main line, when the fifth carriage became derailed, dashed up the ramp of the platform, charging into a water standard, and was flung sideways on to the platform. Two men who were standing on the plat- form and five women in the carriages were killed, and twenty passengers more or less seriously injured. The engine and the first four carriages passed the platform, and were pulled up safely in about half-a-mile. The hinder part of the train, including the Pullman, was derailed, but though badly damaged, no one in these five carriages was killed. At the Board of Trade inquiry, which was held on Tuesday, evidence was given to show that nothing was wrong with the points, but that one of the wheels of the derailed carriage had shifted on the axle, and that such shifting, if it occurred on the journey from Brighton, would have accounted for the accident.
Previous page
