South Yorkshire Times, December 22nd 1933
Shunting Accident
Thurnscoe Man Decapitated
Train Too Long
The discovery of the decapitated body of George Dowson (60), assistant yard foreman, 21, Hope Avenue, Goldthorpe, in the Hickleton Main sidings on Saturday, was described to the District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) and a jury, at an inquest at the Station Hotel, Thurnscoe, on Tuesday. There were also present Mr. S. C. Raley, of Barnsley, representing the relatives; Mr. R. M. Stevenson, representing the National Union of General and Municipal Workers; Mr. M. Le Brun, manager of the Hickleton Main Colliery Company; Mr. E. Slaughter, representing the L.N.E.R. (Loco. Department), and Mr. P. L. Collinson, H. M. Inspector of Mines.
The coroner said that at about 12.55 p.m. on Saturday two engines were pushing wagons into the colliery sidings. Hubert Carr, shunter, was riding on the first engine. The engines separated and went back to the main line. A man named Probert followed the engines and noticed Dowson lying on the line. Dowson’s feet were in the centre of the track and his head, separated from the body, was lying a few inches over the rail.
No Financial Trouble
Sydney Dowson, underground time keeper, 11 Market Street, Goldthorpe, identified the diseased as his father, whom he last saw alive on Friday evening, in good health. He spoke to him over the telephone on Saturday. His father had no financial troubles, though there had been rumours that he had. He was secretary to the Horse and Groom Sick and Dividing Club and his books were in order. Witness produced a letter from the society’s officials to that effect.
Mrs. Eliza Dowson, widow, said her husband had never made any recent complaints. She last saw him alive on Saturday morning when he had told her he would be late for dinner as he was going to collect some money for the Montagu Hospital.
John W. Probert, colliery shunter, “Oak-dene”, Doncaster Road, Goldthorpe, said that after the wagons had passed him, it was his duty to go up the main line. Near the end of the stores he noticed Dowson lying on the line. His feet were towards witness and his right shoulder was near the rail. Dowson was partly on his back and the body was decapitated, the head being a few inches over the rail. Witness noticed foot marks and added that he had had a conversation with deceased about noon when Dowson seemed quite normal. Near the body was a pool of water from the injector of one of the engines.
94 Wagons
The yard foreman, Herbert Cresswell Carr, Hickleton Terrace, Thurnscoe, said the line was clear when the train started. The signal was given and 94 wagons were banked by two engines. There was a brake van between the empty wagons and the engines. Witness was on the first engine with a driver and fireman, and there was a guard, driver and fireman on the second engine. It was a long train and no one could see in front of the wagons. In witness’s opinion the signalling system gave adequate warning.
The coroner: At what speed was the train travelling? – about four miles an hour.
Answering the coroner, Carr said the whistle was blown when the engines set off and was again blown at the Hull and Barnsley railway bridge, and at frequent intervals. Thirty wagons were taken off and the train passed the place where Dowson was found on several occasions.
A Safety Regulation
Mr. Collinson quoted the following from the Safety in Mines Regulations “Where a locomotive pulls one or more wagons, and where injury may be caused to persons employed, a man shall, wherever it is safe and reasonably practicable, accompany or precede the front wagon, or other efficient means shall be taken to obviate such risk.”
Mr Collinson asked Carr whether this rule was complied with, and witness said he had never heard of it.
The coroner: have you a copy of the regulations? – Yes.
Have you read them? – Yes, sir.
Witness added that he worked to the signals, but admitted that he could not see the whole length of the train. He thought the signalling system was an adequate safeguard.
Mr Collinson: could Mr. Dowson see that signal? – I do not know, sir.
In answer to Mr. Le Brun, Carr said he had been employed at the colliery since 1918, and the procedure had been carried out during that time. There had been no accident during the past 15 years. The train continually whistled and gave good warning. If anyone had been in the front wagon the train could not have been stopped as the engines were a quarter of a mile away.
George Edward Stitchbury, shunter, of Thornely Crescent, Thurnscoe, said he gave the signal for the train to proceed. He saw the engines several minutes later. The train passed him at No 1 Gantry and witness then went home. As far as he could see the line was clear, but he could not see all along the line on account of a bend.
Questioned by a juror witness agreed that he left the signal which could have stopped the train in a necessitous case. It was however the usual thing to leave the signal.
Coroner: is it not a fact that you wished to save yourself some work by running a long line of wagons? – It didn’t save me any work.
Mr. Le Brun asked who had given permission to send the run of wagons and Carr said “No one in particular.” He agreed that 94 were too many and that the number should be restricted.
Engineer’s Evidence
Thomas O’Griffith Broomhead Colliery engineer said he saw the train start. He was standing near, the number being in accordance with the engine’s capacity. Regarding the regulation It was impossible for a man to walk in front of a train, for the speed varied from four to twenty miles an hour. He thought more signals should be added. He was prepared to erect a warning bell which would sound so long as the train was passing over a certain switch.
Mr. Le Brun – on whose authority were two trains pushed at the same time? – I do not know, not on mine.
Mr. Broomhead added that the length of the train was governed by the length of the signal. The wagons should not pass the signal.
Mines Act Carried Out
In reply to Mr. Le Brun witness said it would not be safe for a man to ride in the front wagon for sometimes the front wagons were derailed. The driver might also overrun the mark and push the wagon into the buffers. The present system of shunting had been in operation for the past forty years without such an accident. He considered that the Mines Act had been carried out in every way. It was the duty of the signalman to see that everything was clear and the duty of the staff man was to see that the way was clear before the train arrived at the signal.
The coroner said he could not understand how a man unable to see the whole of the line could give a proper signal; it did not seem a reasonable thing to do. He thought there should be a limit to the number of wagons on one train. He believed the suggested remedy would prevent similar accidents. There were rumours that the man had taken his life, but there was no evidence of that.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.