Sheffield Independent – Thursday 07 August 1879
The Fatal Accident on the Railway at Denaby.
An inquest was held yesterday, by Mr. Wightman, at the Reresby Arms, Denaby, on the body of Mr. John Hudson, 37 years of age, miller, Conisbro’. who was killed whilst attempting to cross the railway at the Denaby crossing on Monday.
The evidence went to show that on Monday morning the deceased left his place of business at about seven o’clock with the intention of proceeding home to breakfast. When he arrived at the Denaby crossing he was unable to pass in consequence of an empty goods train which was proceeding from the direction of Conisbro’ towards Sheffield. The deceased, however, went within the gates and stood close to the line whilst the train had gone through. As the van at the end of the train disappeared, the deceased made a rush to get across. On getting on the up line he was overtaken by the 7.45 Midland passenger train from Sheffield to Doncaster which was proceeding at the rate of 35 miles an hour. The buffer of the engine struck him on the breast and knocked him a distance of about a dozen yards into the six feet. He was carried into the signal box, where he expired half an hour subsequently.
His injuries were a severe scalp wound and fracture of several ribs. It was stated by several witnesses that the deceased was repeatedly warned by the signalman, Arthnr Rawson, who shouted and waved his hands to him to keep back, but the latter apparently did not hear him. The crossing, which is level, is a very dangerous one, and the number of trains which passed during the day of the accident , was 176.
The Coroner, in summing up, spoke at considerable length. He said it was conclusively proved that the deceased met his death by being knocked down by an engine at Denaby crossing. As to whether any blame was to be attached to anyone, it was proved by several witnesses that Rawson had done everything in his power to prevent the deceased crossing the line. In his opinion all level crossings were dangerous; but then they were shielded by the law. He was glad to find that most of such crossings were being abolished by the majority of the railway companies. It was his impression that Mr- Hudson was not aware of the presence of another train when he attempted to cross the line, and was killed before he could get out of the way of it.
The room was then cleared, and, after the Jury had been closeted about ten minutes, they returned a verdict that “The deceased was accidentally killed by being knocked down by a Midland passenger train on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway at the Denaby level crossing ; and further, that the gates of the said crossing should be locked or in some way fastened so that persons should be unable to pass through or go on the railway on the approach of a train, or until admitted by the railway servant in charge of the crossing. ”
Mr. Harrop, solicitor, Manchester, attended on behalf of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway.