The following is a transcription of the Adjourned Inquest taken from the Hull Advertiser Friday 25th May 1835. We have other documents which have yet to be added. Please contact us if you would like to see them.
The Inquest followed the fatal rail crash in Hambleton on 5th May, 1835 at 2330. The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers, by the late railway accident, near Selby, was held on Tuesday, at the Wheat Sheaf Inn, Hambleton. Mr. Locking and Mr. Gotch, of the firm of Rotherham and Gotch, solicitors, York, watched the proceedings on the part of the company, and Capt. Galtone, the Government inspector was also present. The first witness called was Mr. Thos Cabrey, engineer to the company, who deposed that as soon as he heard of the accident he came down to Hambleton. He arrived at almost three hours after the accident. The engine was partly in the field and partly in the ditch, a portion of the tender was attached to the engine. The tank of the tender was taken off by the goods train and forced into the field; the carriages were near the down line, not on it. The van was standing close to the passenger carriages, off the line. His impression was that the van was standing on its wheels when he saw it. The engine had crossed the up line, and gone through the ditch and fence into the field. The deceased had been removed. The goods engine was standing with the carriages likewise off the line. Did not observe the rails in any way entangling themselves with the engine or tender. Three or four rails were displaced on the down line and considerably bent, and several not displaced were also bent. There did not appear to be any damage done to the engine; but the tender was considerably damaged; the front wheels of the tender and tank were detached. The sides and the fore wheels of the tender were considerably bent. He got a light and examined the line, to ascertain the cause of the accident. Went back towards the Hambleton station, and found the first distortion of the line was about 300 yards off, and observed the rails every 20 yards were alternately bent and the last rail, where the engine went off, bent nearly two inches. Noticed that the engine had gone off in an oblique direction and was, when he saw it, about 45 yards off. He then made up his mind as to the cause of the accident. He attributed it to the excessive speed. Thompson’s watch was stopped at twenty-five minutes past eleven. Examined the sleepers on which the rails had rested. The outside appearance was against them, but they were perfectly sound inside. Some of the heads of the spikes were above an inch higher than the base of the chair. He did not think that might leave the chair loose. He had no doubt there had been some motion. The wood was not bad where the spikes were fixed. The spikes were so tight that they held the bolt to the chair, though the rail had been bent two inches. Did not consider 15 miles an hour a dangerous speed. The engine had 20 minutes to go from Milford Junction to Selby, including stoppages. The driver had not to make up lost time. In the instructions for enginemen, they are ordered to avoid extreme speed. The train left Normanton at 10.10. He attributed the oscillation of the engine to excessive speed. It would not do so at 30 miles an hour. The line there was in good working order, and it was so now. From the remark of the guard he had observed the oscillation.
The line was in August 1844, relayed with rails, 65 lbs to a yard, and wooden sleepers. Prior to this 45 lbs were laid, and rested on stone blocks. They do not contract with anyone to keep the rails in repair. By a Juryman – He was not aware that that was the first night the engine had been used for that train. By the Coroner – Was not aware how the directors were appointed. On the 5th H.S. Thompson, Esq, was chairman: G.H. Seymour, deputy chairman, Samuel Priestman and others, the directors. By Capt. Galtone - The engine 68 was temporarily repaired on the 10th December last, thoroughly repaired 10th September last. The engine has since been taken to pieces, examined, and found in excellent repair. Was engineer to the line when relayed. Could not say how many sleepers had been put down since. On that part of the line 3 men were employed to 2 miles or fourteen men on 6¾ miles. Last summer we had not quite so many, during the winter had had more than at present. Did not know how many new rails had been laid on the line. The line was ballasted when made, and not since. The traffic in 1844 was not so large as now. The engines then weighed about 25 tons. Passenger engines are now heavier and run at a higher speed on the line. About a mile and a half from Hambleton the rails were laid only 38 lbs to the yard, and are there yet. Are relaying the main line with 80 lbs – rails and a sleeper to every yard. If the rails were loose, oscillation would be caused. They were not loose where he first observed the bends of the rails. By the Coroner – The spikes being an inch above the base of the chair, is not evidence they were loose. They were not loose from the point of them bending to the place where the engine left the line. By a Juryman – The train had only been established three days. Thought the men had driven it every time. He had driven for the company five years. By Mr. Gotch – Had no doubt the lines were strong enough for the heavy engines which now ran upon them. The speed is not got up until passing the old junction of Milford. Could not say how soon it would get up its speed, with only two carriages. It might be up almost immediately. Mr. James Fenton, of Low Moor, engineer – Had not examined the line before the time of the accident; did so yesterday and this morning; there was a gang of three men working between the place where the accident occurred and Selby. Considered the road in fair working condition – safe at ordinary speed. He had the management of a very extensive manufactory. In ordering an engine it was necessary to give instructions as to the speed it is required to travel. For express speed it was necessary to make an engine with inside cylinders, cranks and axles, with inside and leading bearings only. The leading and trailing axles have outside bearings in order to give the largest possible base obtainable in the narrow guage. Should have no hesitation in going over the spot with such an engine at 20 miles an hour. Had examined the No. 68. Did not find it constructed as he described such an engine should be to travel 60 miles an hour. It is a round boiler engine, all the axles swing under the cylindrical portion of the boiler. Had had the No. 68 weighed on the leading wheels, there were 6 tons 18 cwt 3qts, on the driving wheels, 6 tons 17 cwt, on the trailing wheels, 6 tons 19 cwt 1qtr, total weight, without coke or water, 19 tons 15 cwt, for 30 miles or more he considered it a proper and safe engine. Mr. James Fenton, of Low Moor, engineer – Had not examined the line before the time of the accident; did so yesterday and this morning; there was a gang of three men working between the place where the accident occurred and Selby. Considered the road in fair working condition – safe at ordinary speed. He had the management of a very extensive manufactory. In ordering an engine it was necessary to give instructions as to the speed it is required to travel. For express speed it was necessary to make an engine with inside cylinders, cranks and axles, with inside and leading bearings only. The leading and trailing axles have outside bearings in order to give the largest possible base obtainable in the narrow guage. Should have no hesitation in going over the spot with such an engine at 20 miles an hour. Had examined the No. 68. Did not find it constructed as he described such an engine should be to travel 60 miles an hour. It is a round boiler engine, all the axles swing under the cylindrical portion of the boiler. Had had the No. 68 weighed on the leading wheels, there were 6 tons 18 cwt 3qts, on the driving wheels, 6 tons 17 cwt, on the trailing wheels, 6 tons 19 cwt 1qtr, total weight, without coke or water, 19 tons 15 cwt, for 30 miles or more he considered it a proper and safe engine. By the Coroner – Observed that some spikes were above their proper position. Did not think that the rails would rise vertically. Vertical rising would cause the engine to undulate but not oscillate. Undulations have no tendency to throw the engine off the rail. Examined some sleepers, top portion of many of them is decayed, but it would have no tendency to loosen the sleeper. Observed the holes in which the spikes had been, and they were most of them sound. To disturb the road latterly a weight of 14 tons produced a disturbance of the right-hand rail, ballast, sleepers and everything 2 inches, to the left, 1 inch. Had made another experiment this morning. A weight of six tons bent a rail a quarter of an inch between the chairs, and a permanent deflection of 7.25. Had taken out a joint sleeper, with the chairs attached, to tear the chair from the sleeper 2 tons 3 cwt. by dead weight, none of the spikes having been driven home. The spikes bore this weight. The leading bearings of the engine were in good order. The vertical deflection of the line at three different points was on the right rail at the joint ⅞ of an inch, on the centre, 3 inches, at the other joint ¼ of an inch. On the left hand rail respectively ¼ inch, 3 inches, ¼ inch. Another rail when taken out was deflected 1¾ inch, and as it took 6 tons to permanently bend a rail ¾ inch, it would take 11 tons to bend it 1½ inch. The weight of the engine and tender, (including coke), would be 25 tons. Did not consider the line in the best possible order, but it was not unsafe, it was sufficiently ballasted. D. Gibson, locomotive superintendent, Selby, re-called – Had been sixteen years engaged on railways. Was down on the Friday and on the Monday following the accident. Observed some spikes rather worn. Did not think it was an evidence of the looseness of the chairs. Thought it would serve as good a purpose if the head of the spike was above the head of the chair as if quite down. William Copeland, of Hull, guard of the train, was recalled, and deposed that the did not consider that the train was being driven faster than normal. Charles Gill, pointsman at the old Milford Junction, had noticed that the train was driven faster than ordinary. Joseph Heppingstall of Manston Station, said he was the inspector two years between Leeds and Selby. Had power to mend a bad place without applying to anybody else. If it wanted new laying should have had to speak. Had inspected that portion of the line where the accident occurred on the Tuesday before. Always considered the line safe. Spikes being a little raised is no evidence of insecurity or of the chairs being loose. Have orders to renew anything unsafe. Had no sleepers on that part that were as bad as they looked. Did not think them so fast as when first driven. They were at least quite fast to be safe. There were no rails between Hambleton and Selby that are not fit to run over at any pace which a person might wish to drive. Never had any occasion to speak to Mr. Cabry about the road; considered as good as any part of the line. Thought the accident was caused by fast running. George Heppingstall, platelayer, corroborated the last witness. Capt. Garltone, of the Royal Engineers, government inspector, deposed – Examined the line, first on Saturday week, the engine on Tuesday and Friday, and on that day the line also. The engine was in the field; wheels rather worn, but appeared to have been, before the accident, in fair working order. Thought the distribution of weight in this engine would have a tendency to cause unsteadiness, which would be increased by a high speed on a road which was not firm. Found the rails a good deal worn in places and laminated. The keys which fixed the rails to the chairs appeared old. The sleepers are certainly decayed at the surface, he should say generally, and many he thought were decayed much deeper. Observed many instances of the spikes which fixed the chairs to the sleepers being loose and when a length of rail was taken up perceived the bed on which they rested was also decayed. The ballast is broken limestone, but having caused a hole to be dug, he found a great quantity of clay mixed with it. In taking out the sleepers, the clay seemed to hold the water under them. Observed several engines and trains passing over the line, which caused the rails to work in the chairs and the chairs to work on the sleepers, and the sleepers also appeared to work in the ballast a little. If the sleepers were packed equally there would be an undulating motion, but if one end of the sleeper was more firmly packed than the other this would be converted into an oscillating motion. The motion in the chairs has a tendency to throw out the keys, and after the passage of trains observe instances of the keys being out. By the Coroner:- The engine appeared to be in fair working order. The line, he did not think, was in such good condition as it ought to be. The safety of the road depended on the speed. Did not consider the road in good condition for heavy engines at high speed. If called upon to give evidence to Government on the state of the road, not knowing anything of the accident, he should not have reported it safe for the present traffic. The CORONER summed up at great length, pointing out the principal facts adduced, and after half an hours deliberation, the Jury found a verdict of “Manslaughter against the directors of the company.” The inquiry closed about nine o’clock.