The Northallcrton Accident, 18 415 



Railway would to-day be the richer by three or four carriages, 

 two express engines, and the sen-ices of four experienced men. 



Postscript. The profcional disclaimer on the part of tin- 

 Railway appran-d in due course, and I fully expected that tli 

 would just go on as before. Still, after the accident. I never 

 travelled by rail without paying particular attention to the 

 engine; and very soon I perceived signs of movement which 

 increased my interest. The outward sign of thi> moveim-nt 

 the increase of the existing insignificant brake surface applicable 

 to the wheels of the engine itself. The movement was general, 

 but its effect on existing engines was necessarily incomp' 

 when sufficient time had elapsed for engines, constructed 

 the date of the accident, to appear on the road, I had the 

 satisfaction of perceiving that earnest and effective mea> 

 bring taken to fit them with adequate brake surfa* 

 enable them to utilise the power developed on board of them 

 for the control of their own speed a^ \\ell a- that of the load 

 which they hauled. 



After the accident and on arrival in London by the relief 

 train, I ascertained that the luggage of passengers 1>\ 

 in would come forward by the train due at 2 

 Accordingly I returned to King's Cross Station at that hour 

 whrn the train drew up. th- porter took my luggage out 

 he baggage compartment of the coach in which I had 

 deposited it at Edinburgh. In fact, the greater part of thi> 

 i consisted of coaches which had >tood their ground in the 

 accident during the night. 



A further, and more pu-oual, incident left an impression 



on me. When the reli< t train arrived at the M me of the 



and all the passengers had got into it. one or more medical men 



d the whole train and interrogated each passenger if he 



or she had bee n hurt. As every passenger that moment 



dominated exclu . the sm^e of n. if not of 



r escape from immim-nt d.-ath. iswer 



doctors received was un t there was 



uybody and tl. 

 stood scathe! 



