IGNITING THE FLAME OF UNITY

 

THE HISTORY OF THE


  BRIGHTON BRANCH OF A.S.L.E.F.


 

  

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 The Ford telescope bridge over the river Arun, was the first ever bridge of its kind to be constructed

 

 FORD ARUN BRIDGE


A MACABRE INCIDENT


27th NOVEMBER 1851

Extracted and adapted from the report by

Simmons R.E., Captain,

 

Ford drawbridge which strides over the river Arun near Ford station, was the scene of macabre incident on the 27th 

November 1851 when a passenger train hauled by 'Sharp Brothers Singles' loco No. 81, ran into the rear of a cattle train 

and went over the embankment, dragging its train behind. Two passengers and the fireman of No. 81 were injured, the 

latter dying of his injuries a few days later. The driver of the cattle train on seeing collision was imminent jumped into the 

river to save himself, while the other driver on loco No. 81, who had been at fault for disregarding a signal, attempted to 

commit suicide, first by slit his own throat as recognition of his guilt; he failed, and then he too jumped into the river. He 

was rescued, presumably none to willing, by one of the guards involved in the incident.

 have the honour to inform you, that in compliance with your instructions, I proceeded to Arundel on the 2d instant, to 

inquire into the circumstances attending the accident which occurred from a collision between a passenger and a goods 

train, near the Ford station, on the Brighton and Portsmouth section of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, on 

the 27th ultimo. The fireman of the passenger-train died on the 30th ultimo from the injuries he had sustained; and a 

coroner's inquest was held on the 2d instant, at which I attended.

The following are facts which I learned.- The passenger-train, due to leave Brighton at 9.30 p.m., left on the evening of the 

27th ultimo at its proper time, and is stated to have reached the Littlehampton station about a minute late; but It appears that 

on this line the times of departure from and arrival at the terminal stations alone are noted, and that no record is kept of 

those times at the intermediate stations, After the train had remained a minute there, it proceeded on its way. At 1 mile 54 

chains from the Littlehampton station is situated the Ford station, at about 100 yards from which, on the Littlehampton side, 

is the river Arun, which is crossed by a bridge constructed to be drawn back, so as to leave a clear opening for the passage 

of vessels. “ .'he line is inclined upwards on each side towards the bridge; a single line of rails only is laid across the river, 

and on each side at point where a single line runs into double line, is a signal and switch- box. The signals always stand at “ 

danger"; but ten minutes before a train is due, if the line is clear, the signal for that train is placed at “ caution”; if, however, 

two trains are due about the same time, the signals are kept up at “danger” till the first train appears in sight, a “ caution” 

signal is then exhibited to it, the signal for the other line remaining at danger” till that train has passed over the bridge. On 

the day in question the goods train, which leaves Portsmouth for Brighton every day at 7 p.m. arrived at the Ford station at 

about 20 minutes to 10. The regular goods-traine on this line, of which there are two daily, are stated to start at fixed times 

from the termini and to work their way to their journey's end as quickly as possible, no record being kept of the time of 

passing the several stations, This train having taken on some additional wagons (80 that it consisted in all of 42) at the Ford 

station, was ready to leave that station at about or 10 minutes past 10 o’clock. The passenger-train from Brighton was 

about two minutes over due, but as it was not signalled at the opposite side of the bridge as being in sight, the goods-train 

received the green light or cautionary signal, and :proceeded on its way, the red light being exhibited towards the expected 

passenger-train, as 18 proved by the statement of the engine- driver of the goods-train. By the time the engine of the goods-

train had reached the middle of the bridge, the passenger-train appeared in sight, and approached without slackening speed. 

The engine-driver and fireman had, it appears, occupied themselves about ‘ he-fire after leaving Littlehampton station, and 

neglected to look for the signal at the bridge, although they came in sight of it within about 300 yards of Littlehampton - 

station. The guard was in a break-van next to the tender, and he states that in consequence of the steam from the engine 

obscuring the glass of his look-out window, he could -. not see any thing ahead. The passenger train arrived at the points 

near the bridge, where the double line of rails is turned into the single line, at the time when the goods-engine and six or 

seven wagons had passed; the passenger engine struck the side of the eighth waggon, and glancing oft’ it went down the 

embankment, dragging the train after it. The fireman had his skull fractured, and remained insensible till his death. The 

engine-driver was not injured by the accident; but immediately afterwards cut his throat-as he did not, however. succeed in 

killing himself in that way he afterwards threw himself into the river, but was pulled out again by the guard, and has 

remained in a dangerous state ever since. He states, that after leaving Littlehampton, he had been looking at the fire, and 

that the glare from that prevented him for the moment from seeing the signals.

This is attributable to the carelessness of the engine-driver, who is without excuse, for having allowed himself and his 

fireman, on approaching the part of the line in question, to be occupied in any way which could distract their attention from 

the signalBut as this accident shows that signals may be neglected. and as the consequence would have been infinitely 

more serious had such neglect taken place with the bridge open for the passage of vessels: I would recommend that the line 

between Ford and Littlehampton be worked as a single line by means of the electric telegraph, no train being allowed to 

leave either station till the line has been signalled as clear from the other station, and that the bridge is not open. This 

arrangement may be adopted without inconvenience to the traffic.: there are eight passenger-trains and one goods-train each 

way daily; the irregular goods, ballast, and coke trains which pass the stations, rarely exceed two or three daily, and the 

bridge over the Arun is opened on an average for the passage of vessels eight times per week.

An addition to the above recommendation, I would call attention to the fact that no record appears to be kept of the times at 

which the passenger-trains pass the several stations, and that the goods-trains are worked without fixed time-tables. Under 

any circumstances, it appears desirable that a record of the times of trains passing the several stations should be kept, to 

afford a check upon the speed of trains and the punctuality of the engine-drivers, even on lines where the limited traffic 

does not appear to render such record indispensable” and also to be a means, in cases of accident, of assisting to determine 

on whom the blame should rest. 


  

* Depot of loco-men not known.

 

I HAVE the honour to inform you, that in compliance with your instructions, I proceeded to Arundel on the 2d instant, to 

inquire into the circumstances attending the accident which occurred from a collision between a passenger and a goods train, 

near the Ford station, on the Brighton and Portsmouth section of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, on the 27th 

ultimo. The fireman of the passenger-train died on the 30th ultimo from the injuries he had sustained; and a coroner's inquest 

was held on the 2d instant, at which I attended.

The following are facts which I learned.- The passenger-train, due to leave Brighton at 9.30 p.m., left on the evening of the 

27th ultimo at its proper time, and is stated to have reached the Littlehampton station about a minute late; but It appears that 

on this line the times of departure from and arrival at the terminal stations alone are noted, and that no record is kept of those 

times at the intermediate stations, After the train had remained a minute there, it proceeded on its way. At 1 mile 54 chains 

from the Littlehampton station is situated the Ford station, at about 100 yards from which, on the Littlehampton side, is the 

river Arun, which is crossed by a bridge constructed to be drawn back, so as to leave a clear opening for the passage of 

vessels. “ .'he line is inclined upwards on each side towards the bridge; a single line of rails only is laid across the river, and on 

each side at point where a single line runs into double line, is a signal and switch- box. The signals always stand at " danger”; 

but ten minutes before a train is due, if the line is clear, the signal for that train is placed at “ caution”; if, however, two trains 

are due about the same time, the signals are kept up at “danger” till the first train appears in sight, a “ caution” signal is then 

exhibited to it, the signal for the other line remaining at danger” till that train has passed over the bridge. On the day in 

question the goods train, which leaves Portsmouth for Brighton every day at 7 p.m. arrived at the Ford station at about 20 

minutes to 10. The regular goods-traine on this line, of which there are two daily, are stated to start at fixed times from the 

termini and to work their way to their journey's end as quickly as possible, no record being kept of the time of passing the 

several stations, This train having taken on some additional wagons (80 that it consisted in all of 42) at the Ford station, was 

ready to leave that station at about 8 or 10 minutes past 10 o’clock. The passenger-train from Brighton was about two minutes 

over due, but as it was not signalled at the opposite side of the bridge as being in sight, the goods-train received the green light 

or cautionary signal, and :proceeded on its way, the red light being exhibited towards the expected passenger-train, as 18 

proved by the statement of the engine- driver of the goods-train. By the time the engine of the goods-train had reached the 

middle of the bridge, the passenger-train appeared in sight, and approached without slackening speed. The engine-driver and 

fireman had, it appears, occupied themselves about ‘ he-fire after leaving Littlehampton station, and neglected to look for the 

signal at the bridge, although they came in sight of it within about 300 yards of Littlehampton - station. The guard was in a 

break-van next to the tender, and he states that in consequence of the steam from the engine obscuring the glass of his look-out 

window, he could -. not see any thing ahead. The passenger train arrived at the points near the bridge, where the double line of 

rails is turned into the single line, at the time when the goods-engine and six or seven wagons had passed; the passenger 

engine struck the side of the eighth waggon, and glancing oft’ it went down the embankment, dragging the train after it. The 

fireman had his skull fractured, and remained insensible till his death. The engine-driver was not injured by the accident; but 

immediately afterwards cut his throat-as he did not, however. succeed in killing himself in that way he afterwards threw 

himself into the river, but was pulled out again by the guard, and has remained in a dangerous state ever since. He states, that 

after leaving Littlehampton, he had been looking at the fire, and that the glare from that prevented him for the moment from 

seeing the signals.

This is attributable to the carelessness of the engine-driver, who is without excuse, for having allowed himself and his 

fireman, on approaching the part of the line in question, to be occupied in any way which could distract their attention from 

the signal. But as this accident shows that signals may be neglected. and as the consequence would have been infinitely more 

serious had such neglect taken place with the bridge open for the passage of vessels: I would recommend that the line between 

Ford and Littlehampton be worked as a single line by means of the electric telegraph, no train being allowed to leave either 

station till the line has been signalled as clear from the other station, and that the bridge is not open. This arrangement may be 

adopted without inconvenience to the traffic.: there are eight passenger-trains and one goods-train each wa.y daily; the 

irregular goods, ballast, and coke trains which pass the stations, rarely exceed two or three daily, and the bridge over the Arun 

is opened on an average for the passage of vessels eight times per week.

An addition to the above recommendation, I would call attention to the fact that no record appears to be kept of the times at 

which the passenger-trains pass the several stations, and that the goods-trains are worked without fixed time-tables. Under any 

circumstances, it appears desirable that a record of the times of trains passing the several stations should be kept, to afford a 

check upon the speed of trains and the punctuality of the engine-drivers, even on lines where the limited traffic does not 

appear to render such record indispensable” and also to be a means, in cases of accident, of assisting to determine on whom 

the blame should rest. 

 

Click on the icon above for

the Brighton Motive Power Depots

Click on the icon above for

the Sussex Motive Power Depots & ASLEF Branches

 

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