Wartime accident No3 Musselburgh NBR section

52D · Post by **52D** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:20 pm

Ive been looking at various LNER accidents during the second world war. The inspection body during this time and for a couple of years after the war was the Ministry of War Transport MoWT. I am finding the reports are rather sketchy. i have some with good detail and others with little or nothing to go on. 60041 has had similar troubles finding out about an accident at Roseden on the Alnwick Cornhill line.
I have included a newspaper report on the Musselborough accident of 1941 can any one add anything

Report in the Berwick Advertiser
January 9, 1941
"A bookstall attendant was killed on New Year's Day when the engine of a goods train, driven by a Tweedmouth driver and with a Berwick man as fireman, crashed through the buffers at Musselburgh Station, tore up part of the platform, and practically demolished the bookstall. ...
The major portion of the bookstall was crushed like matchwood and the engine careered onwards through a stone building containing the stationmaster's office and the porters' room - both, fortunately, unoccupied at the time. The engine finally protruded into the street with a great heap of masonry in front of it.
Part of the stationmaster's house above was also damaged. The bathroom collapsed and the bath lay on top of the wreckage. ...
The force of the crash caused some of the waggons of the train and their contents to come together in concertina fashion, and then shoot into the air. A heap of wreckage amassed in this way reached a height of about 30 feet and penetrated the station roof, which was holed in two places. Girders holding the roof fell across the platform and lines. ..."
"The driver of the engine was Mr. John Hunter of Main Street, Tweedmouth, and the fireman was Mr. John Welsh, Foul Ford, Berwick. Both escaped injury.
The attendant who lost her life, was Miss Ella Krause, aged 19, who lived with an aunt, Miss Pearson, at 2 South Street, Musselburgh. Her parents live in Canada, and she came to live in this country little more than a year ago."
Acknowledgement: Kevin Graham, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England
Source: Berwick Record Office

v3man · Post by **v3man** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:34 pm

I have also been trying to find more information on the Musselburgh accident on 1st January 1941, which I had heard mentioned when I lived in Musselburgh as a youngster (I commuted from Musselburgh to Edinburgh by train from 1957 to 1961)

The circumstances were that a southbound freight train was routed onto the Musselburgh branch from the East Coast main line at Newhailes Junction and continued for over a mile into Musselburgh station, demolished the buffer stops and bookstall and emerged into the roadway. The bookstall attendant was killed.

I have not been able to find any reference to an accident report, only a newspaper report of 7th March 1941 of a Public Enquiry in Edinburgh Sheriff Court which concluded with the Sheriff stating 'I have found it impossible to answer with complete clarity the cause of the accident and the persons at fault. There is such a complexity of considerations that I really could not pronounce a confident finding of the cause of the accident or the persons to blame. Therefore I refrain doing so, as it might be dangerous and unjust. I venture to make this recommendation that it is the duty of the Railway Company, especially after this occurrence, to make certain as mortal man can that their safety regulations are obeyed in general and invariably.' He returned a formal verdict.

This seems to me a strange outcome, very different from what one would expect of the findings of a Ministry Report! The driver claimed that he saw the Newhailes distant signal off, did not see the home signal and when he turned onto the branch line, on an extremely sharp left hand curve with, if I remember correctly a 20mph speed limit he braked bu could not stop.

52D · Post by **52D** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:50 pm

Thanks for your input. There should be a Ministry of War Transport report for this accident but details are proving hard to find. A K3 has been mentioned as possibile loco involved.

hq1hitchin · Post by **hq1hitchin** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:48 pm

Have made enquiries of the archivist for The Railways Archive and he tells us:

'Your memory serves you well, the accident was as you describe it.
We have to date been unable to source an accident report but given the time of the incident it may be locked up an held under one of the many wartime restrictions.
However I may be able to shed light on a couple of points for you. The train was according, to a newspaper report I have read, misrouted, which suggests some culpability on the signalman. The driver of the train did not have any route knowledge of the branch which under wartime conditions with fatigue endemic on the railway conceivably did not realise that he had been misrouted until too late.
Both the driver and fireman were arrested for manslaughter but later released which may explain the Coroner's reticence'.

Sorry but I hope that helps a little bit

52D · Post by **52D** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:35 pm

Thanks hq i didnt think to ask that site if they Knew anything. No doubt someone on the forum or a new member may find more info for us.
I knew the loco crew had been held and released the thing is i can find out nothing on the signalman being blamed, Until we see the MoWT report we shall not get to the bottom of this one.

Deltic · Post by **Deltic** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:23 pm

A short copyrighted film of this accident is available to view at Berwick-upon-Tweed Record Office showing the loco involved and the extent of destruction to the station.

Berwick-upon-Tweed Record Office is open on a Wednesday and Thursday between 9.30am and 5pm. Contact Linda Bankier, Archivist on 01289 301 865.

JustinTime · Post by **JustinTime** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:55 pm

The Scottish Screen Archive hold a short movie record of the aftermath of this accident but it's endorsed as being under 3rd party copyright.

http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=4497

v3man · Post by **v3man** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:09 pm

STV recently did a piece on the opening of the new Musselburgh Museum which is on you tube. There is a glimpse of the Musselburgh station accident, so short you could miss it!) on their report on You Tube at 00.40;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my3AkNjM-YE

The locomotive looks like one of the Scottish Class D11 Directors.

52D · Post by **52D** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:11 pm

v3man many thanks for your continued input. As you say its short but i tend to agree with your comments on loco etc.

52D

billdonald · Post by **billdonald** » Mon May 02, 2011 5:12 pm

Another good place to look if you are trawling the PRO at Kew is the MT6 series. This is the RI, BoT, MoT inspection reports for running lines and stations. Often when an accident occured, there may have been modifications to the signalling arrangements resulting in a subsequent inspection. The MT series in general are a goldmine in terms of local railway information regarding a railway location, although I have to say, I've no experience of the railway archieves of Scotland in Edinburgh. Thus my statements may only apply to England and Wales - I'm sure one of the Scottish and Northern Ireland bods will tell us if they hold and equivalent to MT6 in their records.

Bill Donald
Dublin, Ireland

52D · Post by **52D** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:11 pm

just found sheriffs report after the crash enclosed below.

Musselburgh Smash

Sheriff Unable to Find Cause

Bookstall Girl’s Death

A sequel to the tragedy at Musselburgh Railway Station, when a girl bookstall attendant lost her life, was heard at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday, when Sheriff Brown held a public enquiry into the death of Helen Currie Krause, bookstall attendant, in the employment of John Menzies & Company, Ltd.
It will be recalled that the accident occurred when a goods train crashed through the buffers at the station and into the bookstall.
At the close of the inquiry Sheriff Brown said: - “I have found it impossible to answer with complete clarity the cause of the disaster and the persons in fault. There is such a complexity of considerations that I really could not pronounce a confident finding of the cause of the accident, or the persons to blame. Therefore I refrain from doing so, as it might be dangerous and unjust.
“I venture to make this recommendation that it is the duty of the Railway Company, especially after this occurrence, to make certain as mortal man can that their safety regulations are obeyed in general and invariably”
He returned a formal verdict.
In giving evidence, John Hunter, station foreman at Musselburgh said he heard the alarm bell ring. It was rung from Musselburgh signal cabin. He immediately phoned the cabin, and was told there was a runaway goods train on the branch line. He was in the act of replacing the telephone receiver when he heard the crash.
Walter Irvine, station master at Musselburgh, said he was in bed when he heard the crash. He asked the driver of the train what had happened. The driver said he saw the distance signal was off. That added witness, was in the drivers favour. – The driver said he had not seen the Newhailes home signal. He did not say why.

BRAKES FULLY ON

Witness said he had inspected the brakes of the engine after the accident, and the brakes were fully on. It was a steep gradient from Newhailes to Musselburgh.
“ The driver had no chance at all of avoiding the crash in the station without knowing he was going on the branch line?” asked the Fiscal. “I don’t think so”, was the reply.
Alexander Gray the guard on the train involved said there would be 550 tons weight in both the wagons and the engine of the goods train. At 7.17 a.m. they got a clear signal to proceed to Newhailes. The first indication he had that anything was wrong was just past Newhailes signal cabin, when he felt the train on a branch line he did not know, and which he did not think the driver knew.
He applied the handbrake in his van, but the train was skidding down a gradient, and his action had little effect. Shortly afterwards there was a terrific crash.
David Little Ramage, signalman, 17 Dean Street, Edinburgh, said when the engine passed his cabin on the branch line to Musselburgh he waved a red lamp and blew a whistle. He thought that the train was a runaway.
John Renton Hunter (43), 170 Main Street, Tweedmouth, the driver of the engine of the goods train, said he did not know the Musselburgh branch line. The Newhailes distance signal was in the clear position, but he could not see the home signal. When he felt the train lurch on to the branch line he applied his brakes. The engine skidded, and he released the brakes and sanded the rails. Then he reapplied the brakes. The weight of the train appeared to be too heavy for the engine.

Note;- Distance signal referred to in text should read Distant.

Transcription by G. D. Moffat of an article that appeared in the Scotsman dated Friday, March 7th 1941. Provided by the British Newspaper Library, Colindale.

60B · Post by **60B** » Tue May 31, 2011 12:32 am

I assume this part of the station is now buried under the car park is it a different one to the one still standing?

52D · Post by **52D** » Tue May 31, 2011 9:13 pm

Im not sure about Musselburgh layout but i would be over the moon if someone can find a Newhailes signalbox diagram.

v3man · Post by **v3man** » Tue May 31, 2011 10:14 pm

Have just looked at Google Street View and, yes, the site of the original Musselburgh Station is now a car park between Olive Bank Road and the river just by the end of the Roman Bridge. I've tried to attach a picture of the station frontage but the one attached is of the station from the river bridge which is now the road bridge on Olive Bank road. Will try again.

v3man · Post by **v3man** » Tue May 31, 2011 10:16 pm

Success! Here is the picture of Musselburgh Station frontage.

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