St James's Gazette 24 Sep 1896: Henry Peters injured in train crash

A serious accident occurred about ten o’clock yesterday morning on the Great Eastern Railway at March Station. The 9.45 train from March to Peterborough was proceeding on the down line in order to come back against No. 6 platform when it dashed into an Hunstanton excursion train from Cambridge. Fortunately neither train was travelling at a high speed; but the impact was sufficiently violent to wreck the greater part of both trains. The Hunstanton excursion train was rather heavily laden with passengers, and consisted of ten carriages, an engine, and tender. There were also several carriages and a horse-box on the Peterborough train. The second and third carriages of the excursion train were “telescoped,” whilst all the others were more or less damaged. The engines also were much damaged, and the drivers were badly hurt. Steps were at once taken to release the imprisoned passengers, many of whom were severely injured.

It was a portion of the Continental train which runs daily between Harwich and various northern towns which collided with the Hunstanton train. The Continental train is divided at March, and part proceeds to York, via Spalding, the other portion going to the Midlands by way of Peterborough. The train entered the station punctually and was drawn up against No. 2 platform. The rear portion was then uncoupled and an engine was taking it on the down line with a view to shunting it to No. 6 platform when the accident occurred. The excursion train was at the same time proceeding slowly into the station, the signals being favourable. When the two met the collision sounded like the roar of artillery accompanied by shrieks which emanated from the various carriages. Mr. J. S. Miller and Mr. R. Hales, both of Wisbech, sustained serious scalp-wounds. Selling, the driver of the excursion, had a collar-bone broken; while his comrade and the driver and fireman of the other train were also badly wounded. One woman has both legs, her skull, and one arm fractured, and hers is regarded as the most grave case. Many other persons have various superficial injuries and contusions, some of the latter being of a serious character. Many remarkable escapes are reported, and it is certainly singular that no one was killed.

Mr. A. Denson, a first-class passenger in the excursion train, interviewed by a Press Association reporter, said : — “We left Cambridge about 8.25. The train was of about an average length, but there were not many passengers. All went well until we were entering March Station, when there was a terrific crash. The top of my compartment fell in and the glass and wood were hurled about in all directions. I was wedged in for a time, but was eventually extricated by porters through the window of one of the other compartments. I was in the foremost carriage.” Mr. Denson escaped with a few bruises and minor cuts.

Inspector Ford, of the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was sitting opposite a passenger in another compartment, and when the accident happened they were thrown violently together and received severe cuts, which bled profusely. Two babies in the same compartment were thrown into mid-air, but luckily escaped without any very bad injuries. The breakdown gang have made great progress in clearing the line. A pony which occupied the horse-box on the Peterborough train next to the tender was almost unscathed; but Mr. Woodland, its attendant, was severely hurt.

LIST OF THE INJURED

Twenty persons were injured in the accident. In five cases the wounds are very severe.

A woman named Anne Sutton, of Swavesey, Cambridge, died whilst being removed to the hospital from the injuries she received in the collision.

The following list of the injured has been communicated officially to the press : — Mr. Woodland, Sallybank House, Leeds, injured head, not serious; Mr. J. S. Miller, Elm-road, Wisbech, injured head, not serious; Mr. R. Hales, 23, Prospect-place, Wisbech, injured head, not serious; Mr. Boyce, East-place, Wisbech, injured head, not serious; Mr. Smith, 15, Norfolk street, Cambridge, broken leg; Mr. H. Peters, Trumpington, Cambridge, injured chest; Reuben Byatt, railway foreman, St. Ives, injured spine; Mr. F. Byatt, son of the above, bruised leg; Miss Byatt, daughter of Mr. Reuben …