198 THE COACHING ERA 



happened; five of them jumped off the coach and 

 sustained serious injuries, whilst the inside passengers 

 who retained their seats escaped unhurt. 



The fore axle of the Worcestershire Telegraph broke 

 at the bottom of Hanwell hill, and the coach upset 

 with a crash. The coachman and passengers were all 

 seriously injured; two ladies so badly that little hope 

 was entertained of their recovery. One gentleman, 

 intrepid by nature, or callous by experience, had his 

 collar-bone broken, but directly it was set continued his 

 journey by another coach. 



Broken reins were responsible for what might have 

 been a very serious accident to the Bentham mail; 

 when near Quernmore Park, one of the leaders shied 

 violently and nearly upset the coach. The coachman 

 endeavoured to steady his team, but the reins snapped, 

 and the horses dashed off at full gallop, whilst the coach 

 rocked from side to side, and seemed in imminent danger 

 of overturning. The coachman threw himself from his 

 box, the three outside passengers scrambled over the 

 roof and jumped off the back of the coach, thereby 

 sustaining various sprains and concussions. The turnpike 

 man saw the coach coming with the runaway team and 

 no driver, and promptly shut the gates. One of the 

 leaders jumped the wall between the toll-house and the 

 gates, but his companions not being like-minded remained 

 on the other side, and the coach came to a standstill. 

 There was one inside passenger, a lady, who kept her 

 seat throughout, and escaped uninjured. A Bath 

 coach upset at Marlborough, resulted in a broken leg 



