Signalman Saw Flames

As Train Passed Cadeby Box Station Staff Fought Fire

Members of the station staff at Conisbrough tackled a blaze in two trucks when a train was brought to a halt on Wednesday night. As the train was passing Cadeby signal box, observant signalman Mr Tom Fleming noticed flames leaping from the trucks.

Mr Fleming, who lives in Edlington, put in an emergency call to his colleague at Conisbrough: Mr Alan Sharpe, who changes signals in order to bring the train to a halt. The driver and his crew were unaware of the fire.

As the train came round the wide curve into Conisbrough, the stationmaster Mr Jack Cantrell, saw that two trucks were ablaze, and he shouted to his staff to fill buckets with water.

Then as the train drew to a standstill, stationmaster Cantrell, passenger Porter Mr Vic Savile, passenger clerk Mr George Stubbs and an off duty signalman Mr George Brandeth acted as fireman, throwing buckets of water on the blazing trucks.

Then as the fire was damped down the amateur fireman uncoupled the blazing wagons and pulled them into a siding. Then they found that a champion Jersey cow was munching the straw lining at the bottom of its box.

No smoke filtered through and the animal calmly walked down a gangplank and stood chewing grass on the side of the line in the goods yard while the station staff, black with grease from the fire worked on.

Parcels Dragged Clear

The other truck was found to contain hundreds of parcels. These were dragged clear and stacked in neat piles at the side of the track.

Meanwhile Mexborough and Conisbrough fireman had hurried to the station yard and the blaze was soon under control.

The engine driver, Mr Ingle, of Sheffield, is fireman, Mr Grindle, Sheffield, and the guard Mr Causton of Sheffield, who had also help to tackle the blaze, later continued on their way – after a delay lasting only 12 minutes.

The parcels were found to be intact, and the cow, owned by Mr J Mason of Reading, was none the worse for its experience. The contents of both damaged trucks were put into new trucks and taken on their way – after only two hours delay.

Mr Cantrell said yesterday: “My staff were absolutely magnificent. It was just a pure chance that I happened to be on the platform as the train came in. The staff acted promptly and efficiently and I feel sure that there would have been more damage to the parcels but for their smart action.”

A Mexborough fire official said: “They did exactly the right thing. If they had delayed at all, it could have been much worse.