South Yorkshire Times December 20, 1947
13-Ton Scraper Runs Amok Havoc at Goldthorpe
Telegraph Poles Smashed Like Match Wood
This 13 ton scraper which careered 150 yards along Doncaster Rd, Goldthorpe, on Tuesday, not altogether without wisdom. It knew when to stop …. Outside (not inside) Goldthorpe police station
A Dearne Urban Councillor Mr G Salisbury, (photo) had a narrow escape on Tuesday when the scraper 15 foot high, broke loose and careered 150 yards long the main shopping centre, damaging his bike on the way.
Mowed Down
The scraper, destined for an open-cast coal site at Royston, near Barnsley. was on the last stages of a Journey from Nottingingham hauled by a motor lorry, driven by Jack W. Stanley, of Stapleford, Nottingham, the scraper was coupled to the lorry by an iron crossbar.
In the 150 yards between Messrs Sugden’s premises in Doncaster Road and Goldthorpe Police Station the scraper
Demolished two 40 ft high telegraph poles;
Brought down a multitude of telephone wires;
Broke (as a result of the impact with one of the telegraph poles) a shop window;
Wrecked Coun. Salisbury’s bicycle;
Broke an iron gas-lamp standard;
Completely uprooted an Iron School safety guard rail and carried it 20 yards;
Knocked clown part of the low wall surrounding Goldthorpe Police Station; and
With its five feet high massive wheels resting on the wall, came to rest over the footpath outside the Police Station. But it had the ‘road sense’ to ignore Goldthorpe’s set of automatic traffic signals and a ready respect of the law in avoiding crashing into the Police Station. It came to a standstill four yards from the building, in which there were four people, including a 2 ½ years old child
Brushed Woman’s Sleeve
In the laureate with the driver was his mate, Wilfred Mayfield, Wombwell, Nottingham who told a South York-shire Times” reporter:
A woman waved before us and the driver did so, and then to our amazement we saw the sraper sail past us on the nearside We were only two yards from the kerb. My mouth was wide open with surprise The scraper vent on down the road. and a woman, who was clinging to a railing, had her sleeve brushed by the vehicle.
Coun. Salisbury owes his escape two the chance action of Mrs. Marian Webster, an assistant in the shop adjoining Coun. Salisbury’s outfitting premises in Doncaster Road. “I was just going out of the shop,” he said, “when Mrs. Webster called to me and I looked back and saw the scraper coming towards me. I do not know what happened to my bicycle: I left it and rushed into the shop.”
The machine, caught by the first felled telegraph pole, received a badly buckled front wheel and a damaged rear wheel and mudguard. Three weeks ago Mr. Salisbury’s shop was entered by thieves who took goods valued at £6o. On Tuesday the plate-glass window of the shop was shattered.
If it had been school time or a bus had been going round the Police Station corner the results would have been terrible,’ Mr Salisbury added. “It was a miracle no one was hurt.
The fracture of the lamp standard was quickly sealed by Wath, Bolton and Thurnscoe Gas Board employees to prevent gas escaping, and Post Office engineers who had arrived on the spot shortly before the accident occurred in the course all their normal duties dealt with the telegraph poles and wires run out. Only telephone subscribers in the immediate vicinity were affected.. Telegraph poles, each more than a short in diameter, were smashed like matchwood, and eye witnesses marvelled that these obstacles and others failed to arrest the progress of the vehicle. Both fractures were clean, a few feet from the ground.
Girl Had Just Passed
In the police officers at the time was Section assistant Day and in the living room on the police station and Mrs Taylor wife of P.S. J E Taylor and 2 ½ years old daughter Jennifer. Sgt Taylor (photo) himself was upstairs. “Ours was a girl, Glenda had just passed by on the way to school,” Sgt Taylor added. Glenda is 11.
A Goldthorpe newsagent, Mr William Chapell, Doncaster Road said at first the scraper zigzagged to the right bathroom broken loose from the lorry. “I saw the telegraph pole opposite my shop come down. He went down was a resounding bang. It was all done in about three seconds.” Mr Chappell added.
When his wife saw the scraper zigzagging she rushed upstairs for their baby. Two women in a bus queue in Doncaster Road fainted and were brought into his shop. “The scraper looks so gruesome as it went down the road, making such a noise. This all happened in a flash. For 18 hours after the 24 you can guarantee that someone would be on that side of the road. It was a miracle that it was just clear that time.”
The scraper was removed on Tuesday.