WEST CROYDON
on 4th JULY 1904
involving
Driver George Lincoln and Fireman Hery John Windsor
depot unkonwn
Extracted and adapt from a report by
G.W. ADDISON
Lt.-Col., R.E.
An accident that occurred on July 4th at West Croydon station, on the London, Brighton,
and South Coast Railway.
In this case the 6.5 p.m. passenger train from Wimbledon, consisting of a six-wheel coupled tank engine, running chimney in front, and six passenger vehicles, fitted throughout with the Westinghouse-brake, when entering West Croydon station over-ran the proper stopping-place and came slightly into collision with the buffer·stops.
It is stated that two passengers have complained of injury.
The engine was not damaged, but two buffer-castings of brake-van No. 256 were
broken.
Description
Wimbledon trains run into a bay line at West Croydon station, the platform of which is about 130 yards in length from the buffer-stops to its outer end.
A road bridge crosses the line at the end of the platform, and the signal-cabin is about 25 yards on the station side of the bridge.
The inner home-signal is close to and outside the bridge. tho outer home-signal being 250 yards from the cabin, and the distant-signal about half a mile away. Approaching West Croydon from Wimbledon there is a rising gradient of 1 in 96 for 450 yards up to the signal-cabin, and it is then level to the buffer-stops.
The following are the Company's rules in reference to trains approaching junctions
and terminal stations :-
Engine drivers and guards are not to depend entirely upon the action and power of the Westinghouse automatic or of the automatic vacuum-brake, but, when approaching junctions, the speed must not be greater than that which has been usual with trains worked by ordinary hand-brakes; drivers and guards must also have their trains well under control, so that they can be brought to a standstill with the hand-brakes, if necessary.
Also in approaching terminal stations or stations at which other t.rains may be standing on the same line of rails, the Westinghouse automatic brake or automatic vacuum-brake must not be used, except in cases of emergency, but tho speed of the train must be so reduced that it may be brought to a stand, with certainty and at the proper place, by means of the hand-brakes alone.
Guards must not be seated away from their hand-brakes, but must always be standing in such a position as to be able, together with the enginemen, to promptly apply their hand-brakes when trains are entering stations at which tho trains call, as well as at terminal stations.
Evidence.
Thomas Knight states : I have been eight years in the Company's service, four years as guard. On the 4th ,July I came on duty at 3.20 p.m. and went off duty at 1.15 a.m. on the 5th. On the day in question I left Wimbledon at 6.9 p.m. for West Croydon. My train consisted of a tank engine, 3rd class brake, 3rd class, two composites (1st und 2nd class), and two 3rd class carriages marshalled in the above order. The train was fitted throughout with the Westing-
house-brake. We stopped at Merton Park, Malden, Mitcham, Mitcham Junction, and Beddington Lane stations, the train being pulled up at the proper place on each occasion by the driver. The appendix to our working time-tables lays down that when running into terminal stations the driver must have the train under proper control, so as to stop it with the hand-brake. On arriving at West Croydon distant-signal, it was "off" ; from this point to the station it is up hill. At Pitlake Bridge (500 yards from the station) tho driver shut off steam, and we passed the West Croydon station cabin at a speed of about four miles an hour. The home signal, below the bridge, was off, for us; there is also a rear stop-signal about 150 yards further out, at which point 1 had applied my hand-bake. As we ran alongside the platform I was looking out of the window, but I did not see anyone give any signal to us to stop. My hand-brake was fully "on." I did not feel the train strike the buffers, but there was a slight rebound. Two passengers complained to me of injuries. Two buffer-castings of the front brake-van were broken, but the buffers were not damaged. I do not consider that the speed approaching the station was any faster than usual. My gauge showed 55 to 60 lbs. on arriving at the bridge outside the station, which had been reduced to 10 lbs. by the time we stopped. Before we stopped I had also pulled over the Westinghouse-brake handle. As a rule the Westinghouse is used before arriving at the bridge, but whether it had been on this occasion or not I cannot say.
George Lyncoln states: I have been 18 years in the Company's service, seven years as a driver. On the 4th instant I came on duty at 3 p.m. to work until 1 a.m. on the 5th. On the 4th I left Wimbledon at 6.9 p.m. to run to Croydon. My engine, No. 36, is a six-wheel coupled tank engine, and I was running chimney first between Wimbledon and West Croydon. The engine is fitted with Westinghouse-brake apparatus, these brakes applying both to the engine and train, and there is a hand-brake on the engine also. After coming under Pitlake Bridge I shut off steam, and then put on my hand-brake slightly. The bridge is approached by a rather sharp curve, and my speed would not exceed 18 miles an hour. All signals were off, for me. Outside the bridge, at the end of the station, my mate applied the hand-brake as hard as he could. When within 50 yards of the stop blocks the hand-brake did not seem to me to act. so well, and I applied the Westinghouse-brake steadily. The rails were slippery after rain. I only felt the collision very slightly. No damage was done to my engine. I passed the station cabin at a speed of eight miles an hour, which was about the same as usual.
Henry John Windsor states : I have been in the Company's service about nine years, four years as fireman. On the 4th I was acting as fireman to driver Lynoln, and my hours of duty were the same as his. When running from Wimbledon to West Croydon with the 6.5 p.m. train, the driver shut off steam at Pitlake Bridge. Between the two bridges I applied my hand-brake slightly, just enough to feel that at was acting, but at the bridge at the end of the
station I put it fully on. As we run alongside the platform the brake did not seem to be pulling the train up as usual, and the driver applied the Westinghouse- brake about four coach-lengths before the stop blocks. We passed the cabin at the and of the station at a speed of about seven miles an hour. I was riding on the right-band side of the engine. I felt the collision, but was not hurt in any way. The train rebounded a little, not the engine.
Alfred James Webley states: I have been 30 years in the Company's service, and 22 years station-master at West Croydon. On the 4th inst., at the time when the 6.5 Wimbledon train was due, I was just about to cross the line to go to the Wimbledon bay I saw the train almost immediately after it came through the bridge. I did not think the speed faster than it ought
to be, and it was not necessary for me to hold up my hands or give any signal to the driver. It had been running for about ten minutes, and there were several showers previously. The rails would in my opinion, be very slippery at the time.
Conclusion.
As the 6.5 p.m. train from Wimbledon approached West Croydon the driver found all signals (distant, outer home, and inner home) off for him. At Pitlake Bridge, 500 yards from the station, he shut off steam, and the engine hand-brake was applied slightly. At the outer home-signal, 225 yards from the station, the guard says he applied his hand-brake, and at the station bridge the fireman put the engine hand-brake fully on. There is a rising gradient of 1 in 96 for 450 yards before arriving at the station.
The evidence of the station-master confirms the statements of the driver, fireman, and guard-that the speed entering the bay was in no way excessive-and it seems to be almost certain that the driver could have stopped the train, by the use of the continuous brake, at any part of the platform. He, however, did not make sufficient allowance for the rails being wet after rain, and when he applied the Westinghouse-brake it was too late to avoid a slight collision with the buffer-stops.
I am glad to be able to say, in this case, that there appears to have been no breach of rules on the part of any of the men responsible for tho management of the train, and I do not consider that there was any serious want of care on the driver's part. At the same time driver Lyncoln's error of judgment was not to be expected from a man of his experience, and it shows that he had not allowed himself any margin of safety. Until drivers thoroughly realise that, even with the present powerful brakes, they cannot always bring a train to a stand with the same facility, and in the same distance, it is hopeless to expect that buffer stop collisions will become as rare as they ought to be.