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The Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 10 Sep 1879
Page 6 Column 1
FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE TAUNTON RAILWAY STATION.
On Friday morning Mr W. W. MUNCKTON, coroner for West Somerset, held an inquest at Douch's Railway hotel on the body of Charles CRIDLAND, a porter in the employ of the G.W.R. Co., who was killed on Wednesday while engaged in transferring goods from a narrow to a broad gauge truck in the west end of the station yard, at a place called Benson's siding.
Mr James SHOWERS, coal and corn merchant, of Coal Orchard wharf, was selected foreman of the jury, which consisted of respectable trademen of the parish.
Before hearing evidence the jury visited and inspected the spot where the accident happened, and then viewed the body. On returning to the hotel the following evidence was taken:-
William WRIGHT, transfer foreman porter at the Taunton station, deposed that deceased was a supernumerary porter, and was 39 years of age. On the 3rd September he was transferring bales of rags from a narrow to a broad-gauge truck, at Benson's siding (No. 1 up). Alfred REX, another transfer porter, was assisting. It was about half-past nine in the morning. They had notice from the shunting porter, Henry MORLE, that a broad-gauge goods train was coming back into the siding towards them to let an up-passenger train into the station. The deceased and witness had due notice, of about five minutes, that the train was about to be shunted. Deceased was then on the truck of rags which he was emptying. Witness was in the broad-gauge truck by the side, and REX was with the deceased. As the trucks came up deceased was standing on a bale of rags holding on to another bale, with his back towards the shunting train. REX was about a yard from deceased. There were three trucks between the engine and the truck in which deceased was standing, and by the force of the engine on the other trucks they came in contact with the truck in which the deceased was, and witness saw deceased suddenly fall backwards from the truck in which he was standing to the rails between it and the one which came in contact with it. He fell on to the metals, and three trucks passed over him. The bale of rags on which deceased was standing was higher than the level of the end of the truck. He was standing about a foot from the end. The bale of rags which deceased was holding was higher than the one on which he was standing. Witness had the train stopped at once, and took deceased out, but he died about five minutes afterwards, and the body was removed to the Railway hotel.
Cross-examined: The bales were about four or five hundred-weight each. Deceased was carried the distance of two trucks, and each truck measured about sixteen feet in length. After the men had received notice they had plenty of time to get prepared for the train, and to close the door of the broad-gauge truck. Deceased was a supernumerary porter, and had been working for the company for about eight months.
Alfred REX said he was a transfer porter at the station, and the evidence of William WRIGHT was true. Witness was in about the middle of the truck sitting down when the accident occurred, and the deceased was standing up, as stated. Deceased had plenty of time to prepare for the train; and knew perfectly well that the train was running back. Witness saw the train on the crosssing, and said “Charlie, the train is on the crossing.” Deceased made no reply, and immediately afterwards the train came back. There were three or four trucks before them, and the train knocked against them.
Cross-examined: A man named MORLE gave the signal with his hands, and it was thoroughly understood by witness and deceased that the train was coming back. One of the trucks that passed over the deceased was loaded with slate, and the other two were empty. Witness did not think it was a dangerous practice to stand on the bale of rags as stated.
Dr. G. CORNISH said he saw the body of deceased in the shed of the Railway hotel. He had a severe laceration of both thighs, which were fractured. He did not see any other particular injury. He considered death to be the result of the injury deceased had received.
Richmond MILLER, engine driver on the Great Western Railway, said that on Wednesday last he was driving the 6.10 a.m. up good train from Exeter and arrived at Taunton at 9.50 a.m. He received orders from the shunting porter, MORLE, that after he had taken water he was to go a-head and shunt his train into “No. 1” up-siding to allow the 8.35 passenger train from Exeter to pass. After taking water he went over the points and received the usual signal from the guard of his train to go into the siding. He did so, and blew the whistle, and went steadily back until he thought he was near the waggons in the siding. The shunting porter gave witness orders to stop, and to “ease-up” for him to divide the train, when he received a signal from the fireman of a branch train coming in that there had been an accident behind. There were forty waggons which made up his train.
Henry MORLE, shunting foreman, corroborated the evidence of the previous witnesses, and stated that the engine driver drove as steadily as was possible.
The Coroner summed up the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased died from injuries accidentally received while engaged as above described.
The deceased leaves a widow and a child, and on the suggestion of Mr. J. LOCK, seconded by Mr WYATT (jurors), the jury handed over their fees for the benefit of the bereaved family.
<NOTES: Charles CRIDLAND son of Ithamar or Ethomer CRIDLAND and Mary JENKINS, married Eliza STYLES>