RECENT CLAIMS PAID

C.J. Asher, driver, L.B. & S.C. Railway injured at Victoria station, December 8th; resumed duty December 24th., 10s. paid December 30th 1895.

A. Banks, fireman, L.B & S.C. Railway, injured at Battersea, December 16th; resumed duty December 29th., 7s. 6d. paid December 30th 1895.

THE A.S.L.E. AND F.

Sir, -- Railwaymen in general must have notices the desperate efforts being made by the combined forces of the A.S.R.S. and the Old Society to stem the tide of progress, which is everywhere being made by the Associated. The strikes one as rather a curious coalition after what has been said from time to time by those in authority. The A.S.R.S. would have us believe that a Friendly Society is quite a secondary matter with them, while the Old Society, when it has been approached by the Associated, has expressed a kind of horror of a trade union, yet now we find the two joining hands in a sort of unholy alliance. When will enginemen and firemen open their eyes and be able to see that both them and their Society are being used as a tool in the hands of A.S.R.S. leaders? The way they manage to advertise themselves at these meetings ought to be enough. They certainly do find room for the report of meetings held by our Old Society, but this only goes to show their hand all the more, because at the same time they confess they cannot find room for trade union matters. I see Mr. Bell has been, as one of your correspondents put it a short time ago, bellowing at Leeds, and the result is a column in the "Review"headed "Mr. Bell and the Engineers." They may take him seriously in Leeds, but those of us who know Dick, and have worked with him, cannot help a broad smile when we read such sentence on the following: "Between the two meetings a deputation of Midland firemen waited on ME for advice and information with regard to their movement. Every opportunity was given the engineers, etc., and I received high praise for "Lex," and was complimented myself by loco. men for showing them the light." now for bombast this would be hard to beat, and when we remember that the man who in his ignorance thus insults the enginemen and firemen of this country is an ex-goods guard, we cannot but wonder that the whole footplate fraternity do not rise in arms against him, and for ever give him a wide berth for his audacity; and I would here remind my fellow footplate workers that it is because we have allowed such men to think and act for us in the past, that we are in our position. Surely it is high time we awoke and told this ex-goods guard and his clan that we need their lights no longer as head lights, but simply as tail lights, as per rule. Surely the Midland firemen are not going to be so easily gulled. Have they so soon forgotten the failure of a few years ago as to be carried away with a little notice in the "Review"? Let the A.S.R.S. answer the questions put by me a few weeks ago re the meeting at Manchester. It is also amusing to watch the figures given by them as to the number of loco. men in the A.S.R.S. When the Associated had 6,000 they had 9,000; now the Associated has 8,000 they have 12,000. And I suppose in a short time hence, when the Associated has 20,00 they will have 30,000, although there are only a little over 30,000 in the country. Enginemen and firemen may take it for granted (and especially let this be a tip to Midland firemen) that the days are gone by when anything substantial can be done except by a large majority being in a Society of our own, or a by a national conference on the lines laid down by our representatives at Leeds in November last. This being so, I trust that enginemen and firemen throughout the country will give this their hearty support.

OLD ENGINEMEN

Swansea, February 8th, 1896

Railway accidents on the 

L.B.S.C.R.

from http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk

CROYDON

The coroner held an enquiry at Croydon last Saturday concerning the death of Albert Bowling, fifty three, a labourer, lately residing at 7, Simmonds Cottages, Mitcham, who was fatally injured through being knocked down by a Wimbledon train, on the 18th inst. Eliza Bowling, widow, stated that deceased was a brother of  Thomas Bowling, who was hanged in Wandsworth gaol five years ago for the murder of a woman at Mitcham. Since the execution the deceased had been a different man, and he often said that his brother's death haunted him very much. Latterly he had suffered from rheumatism, which necessitated crutches. 

George Lyngeoln, driver of the 8.56 a.m. train from West Croydon to Wimbledon, said he was  approaching Mitcham station, and in turning a bend of the line he saw Bowling standing on a level crossing. He saw Bowling standing on a level crossing. He sounded his whistle, and the man walked out of danger, but only to return a moment later into the centre of the four foot way. Although the witness immediately applied the Westinghouse brake he was unable to avoid running over the man. Another witness stated that the deceased was standing upright, with his back to the engine. He died in Croydon Hospital from terrible injuries. Verdict: Accidentally Killed

We have received complaints from three of our correspondents that letters written by ten and published in our columns have been reproduced, in a more or less mutilation form, in  the monthly journal of the "Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen" without their sanction or consent. We have no doubt as to who it was that sent the copies of these letters to the journal, but are unable to prove it, as Mr. Sunter, the general secretary of the society, is unable to produce them to enable us to identify the handwriting. We trust, however, that he will be careful in future not to publish forged or copies letters, which are only sent to him in order to raise a bogus controversy in the columns of the organ of his society.

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EAST CROYDON TO OXTED LINE

The new line from East Croydon to Oxted, which has been eighteen months in construction, was opened on Tuesday last, the quarter to six a.m. from Victoria  being the first train.

CROYDON

On the evening of the 22nd ult., as the seven o'clock train from Mitcham to West Croydon was nearing Waddon the engine driver felt something wrong with the line, and, stopping the train examined the rail, which was fracture in no fewer than seven places. A two hours' delay was necessitated, and the passengers -- seven in number, two gentlemen and five ladies -- had a warm time steeplechasing across hedges, five barred gates, and ditched to Croydon in half a gale of wind and a torrent of rain. 

A.S. AND L.E. AND FIREMEN

Sir, -- The Benevolent Fund of the above society is kept up by a levy 4d. per call. A "call" is meant by a member being taken off the footplate for any cause, unjustly discharged, etc., etc. The number of members in the Benevolent for membership is voluntary realised till lately, the sum of about £40, a grand help to a man in time of need but recently -- as I see by my journal --it has dwindled to £36. Is this caused by a decrease of membership? If it is, I do not see it accounted as such, in our Associated Journal. This fund, sir, seems to be conducted in a slipshod unbusiness like fashion. The amount only, as far as I can ascertain, realised, is announced, the "membership" appearing to be a myth. Now, I ask: Why is it the number of members in the various branches, and the total number of members in the society are not periodically announced? Such a course, it seems to me, is only straightforward, and if done, would give satisfaction to a good many like myself, would like to know why it is not?

LUCIDUS ORDO

Reading, October 4th 1896

CROYDON

Early on the morning of the 9th inst. great delay was caused on the Brighton Railway through a goods train colliding with a passenger train at West Croydon station. Part of each was thrown off the track. The up main line was blocked, and the traffic had to ve worked on one single line. A breakdown gang quickly arrived and the work of clearing the wreckage progressed rapidly. No casualties were reported.