Newspaper Extracts
Death of Guard at Parkgate
15th January, 1864An inquest was held on Tuesday night at Parkgate, near Rotherham, into the death of a man named Atha, one of the Midland Company's guards.
About 10 o'clock in the evening as a coal train was passing the Rawmarsh station, one of the rods connected with the engine broke, and the train came to a standstill. A goods train from King's-cross to Leeds, which closely followed, was also stopped. The guard of the latter train immediately went back to signal other trains, and prevent a collision. Nothing, however, was seen of him by the driver of the next train, which was also a goods train from Camden to Leeds, and it was with difficulty the train was stopped, and a catastrophe averted.
As the Leeds express was then nearly due at that place, the guard of the Camden train hastened back in order to put the danger signals on. He had not proceeded far before he stumbled against something, and was horrified at seeing blood scattered in all directions, and fully 50 yards on he found the corpse of the unfortunate guard. The man was so overcome by the sickening sight that he could not give the signal to stop the express, which passed him at full speed, and until he was close upon the Camden train the driver saw nothing, and with his stoker he had barely time to jump off before the trains were in collision.
Several of the goods waggons were smashed; but the most extraordinary fact is, that the express was almost undamaged, and the passengers escaped with a severe shaking. It is conjectured that, owing to the darkness and fog, the deceased had mistaken the line he was on, and had been cut to pieces by the down express from London to Leeds, which passed while the trains on the other line were standing.
Some questions were asked by the coroner, and from the answers it seemed probable that the London express could have been stopped at Masbro, if there had been a wire from the Kilnhurst Station to Masbro. The officials said they never stopped the trains on the line if it was unobstructed, although there might be an obstruction on the other. The coroner suggested that there should be at all small stations a telegraph wire, to be used in cases of accident, and the company's inspector said the plan was practicable.
A verdict of "Accidental Death" was recorded.
