28:
204:(his formal job title was "Inspector-General of Railways") found that the casting had been insecurely lashed to the wagon, and was unstable for carrying by train. The casting was part of a weighing machine intended to be used at Hull Station, and itself weighed about 2.5 long tons (2.8 short tons). It measured 12 feet 6.75 inches (3.83 m) by 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m), and since the wagon was only 10 feet (3.0 m) by 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m), it must have overhung the wagon when being carried. The casting fell from the wagon onto the rails when the train was about
236:
only to see that the casting in question was lashed, but that it was secured beyond the possibility of accident. The truck on which the casting was placed had a flush floor, with the exception of a small ledge round the sides and ends ; and therefore as it was on the lashing alone that the safety of the passengers depended, it is evident that proper precautions were not taken in this instance ; indeed, I am given to understand that the large casting was supported on the smaller pieces of iron-work which were lying loose on the floor of the truck.
837:
227:
This gentleman is of opinion, from observations he made at the time, that the casting was not lashed ; but I do not think it right to press this negative evidence against the positive assertions of the persons whose statements I have given above,although it appears to me entitled to every consideration
240:
Smith recommended that goods should only be carried where they were secure, and wagons should be fitted with a frame to enclose large items, to prevent their falling off. He also recommended that the foreman of the goods department should personally inspect goods wagons to ensure their security and
226:
A very respectable civil engineer, whom I met when engaged in the examination of the competing lines of railway to
Scotland, acquainted me that he had travelled by the train to which the accident happened on the 7th of August, and was in the carriage with the persons who were unfortunately killed.
235:
Had the castings been properly secured by chains, ropes, or wood framing, the accident of the 7th of August would not have happened, and it is quite clear that there was great and unpardonable neglect in the parties whose business it was to attend to such matters at Selby, for it behoved them not
221:
The inspector interviewed railway staff involved directly (driver and guard) as well as many others involved in loading the casting, or had seen the casting on its wagon before the accident. The railway staff all either asserted that the casting had been lashed to the wagon or said they could not
217:
Since the wagon was just behind the tender, the following passenger carriages were derailed. The first five carriages were empty, but the sixth carriage held several passengers, some of whom were fatally injured. Smith's report gave the total number of dead as four, but contemporary newspapers
307:
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231:
If the casting had been lashed on to the wagon, clearly it had not been done adequately since the ropes apparently used had chafed through owing to movement of the casting on the wagon:
840:
836:
293:
173:
on 7 August 1840 killed five passengers. It occurred when a large piece of cargo, cast iron, fell from a wagon and derailed the following carriages. It happened on the
264:: the three killed instantly were named as Nicholas Veltman, Thomas Stead and Elizabeth Lee; those dying later of their injuries as Thomas Craggs and James Aldersmith
337:
874:
859:
869:
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904:
316:
157:
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367:
681:
672:
218:
reported two separate inquests; one upon three people killed instantly, another upon two who died subsequently of their injuries.
782:
408:
177:
as the train was travelling from Leeds to Hull. The crash was one of the first railway accidents to be investigated by the
27:
764:
884:
879:
181:. One of the worst accidents to have occurred on the new UK rail network, it was also a new phenomenon for the public;
722:
628:
788:
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654:
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361:
331:
285:
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390:
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343:
894:
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402:
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521:
464:
746:
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349:
197:
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443:
414:
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506:
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174:
113:
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274:
702:
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201:
178:
8:
634:
544:
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Reports to the
Committee of the Privy Council and Returns, &c, Relative to Railways
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568:
494:
186:
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indicates railway accidents and incidents resulting in at least 20 fatalities
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72:
32:
Looking east from Brind level crossing towards the site of the accident.
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170:
58:
54:
275:"Hull and Selby Railway - Accident of the 7th of August 1840"
258:"The Awfully Fatal Accident on the Hull and Selby Railway".
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remember one way or the other. Smith however noted:
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Railway accidents and incidents in the United
Kingdom
241:
safety, and confirm in writing that he had done so.
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875:Rail transport in the East Riding of Yorkshire
272:
301:
860:Railway accidents and incidents in Yorkshire
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26:
214:mile (1.2 km) from Howden station.
870:History of the East Riding of Yorkshire
852:
289:
905:1840 disasters in the United Kingdom
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14:
916:
158:List of UK rail accidents by year
835:
192:
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1:
281:, Board of Trade, p. 116
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262:. 15 August 1840. p. 4.
7:
10:
921:
885:19th century in Yorkshire
880:Railway accidents in 1840
828:
715:
647:
605:Kildwick & Crosshills
531:
430:
383:
324:
156:
148:
140:
132:
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123:Inadequately secured load
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109:
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64:
50:
42:
37:
25:
20:
200:, the first head of the
273:Frederic Smith (1840),
890:Derailments in England
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175:Hull and Selby Railway
114:Hull and Selby Railway
233:
224:
202:Railway Inspectorate
189:were more frequent.
179:Railway Inspectorate
167:Howden rail accident
86:53.76681°N 0.87632°W
21:Howden rail accident
661:Wennington Junction
596:Shipton-on-Cherwell
198:Sir Frederick Smith
82: /
895:August 1840 events
655:Burscough Junction
91:53.76681; -0.87632
847:
846:
723:Norton Fitzwarren
163:
162:
912:
839:
729:Norwood Junction
581:Bo'ness Junction
409:Reading Southern
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296:
287:
286:
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265:
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255:
213:
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187:mining accidents
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865:1840 in England
850:
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834:
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813:Wrawby Junction
735:Esholt Junction
711:
643:
527:
522:Dalton Junction
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362:Sonning Cutting
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489:Welwyn Tunnel
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193:Investigation
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46:7 August 1840
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36:
29:
24:
19:
16:
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706:
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638:
599:
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563:Kirtlebridge
510:
465:Kentish Town
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355:
332:Philadelphia
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819:Potters Bar
795:Potters Bar
777:Welshampton
747:Llantrisant
705:(Jun 1889)
690:(Sep 1887)
675:(Jul 1884)
637:(Dec 1879)
598:(Dec 1874)
589:(Sep 1874)
516:Maesycwmmer
509:(Aug 1868)
483:Staplehurst
458:(Aug 1861)
325:Before 1850
319:, 1815–1899
260:York Herald
105:England, UK
89: /
65:Coordinates
854:Categories
821:(May 1899)
815:(Oct 1898)
809:(Sep 1898)
803:(Mar 1898)
797:(Mar 1898)
791:(Nov 1897)
785:(Oct 1897)
779:(Jun 1897)
773:(Feb 1897)
767:(Apr 1896)
761:(Nov 1895)
755:(Dec 1894)
749:(Aug 1893)
743:(Nov 1892)
737:(Jun 1892)
731:(May 1891)
725:(Nov 1890)
699:(Mar 1889)
684:(Jan 1885)
669:(Nov 1882)
667:Inverythan
663:(Aug 1880)
657:(Jan 1880)
635:Tay Bridge
631:(Mar 1877)
625:(Nov 1876)
619:(Aug 1876)
613:(Jan 1876)
607:(Aug 1875)
583:(Jan 1874)
577:(Dec 1873)
571:(Aug 1873)
565:(Oct 1872)
559:(Dec 1870)
553:(Dec 1870)
547:(Sep 1870)
541:(Jun 1870)
524:(Dec 1869)
518:(Jun 1869)
503:(Jun 1867)
501:Warrington
497:(Feb 1867)
491:(Jun 1866)
485:(Jun 1865)
479:(Jun 1865)
473:(Oct 1862)
471:Winchburgh
467:(Sep 1861)
452:(Jun 1861)
446:(Nov 1860)
444:Atherstone
440:(Sep 1860)
423:(Aug 1858)
417:(Jun 1857)
411:(Sep 1855)
405:(Oct 1853)
399:(Jun 1852)
393:(Apr 1851)
376:(May 1847)
374:Dee Bridge
370:(Oct 1845)
364:(Dec 1841)
358:(Aug 1840)
352:(Aug 1838)
346:(Dec 1836)
340:(Sep 1830)
334:(Jul 1815)
245:References
183:shipwrecks
128:Statistics
74:53°46′01″N
841:1900–1999
789:Menheniot
783:Penistone
771:Menheniot
697:Penistone
688:Hexthorpe
682:Penistone
673:Penistone
575:Menheniot
551:Stairfoot
438:Helmshore
421:Round Oak
368:Penistone
185:and coal
171:Yorkshire
77:0°52′35″W
59:Yorkshire
801:St Johns
759:St Neots
753:Chelford
617:Radstock
557:Hatfield
545:Tamworth
507:Abergele
415:Lewisham
403:Straffan
344:Wetheral
338:Parkside
51:Location
765:Snowdon
629:Morpeth
495:Yanwath
450:Wootton
397:Burnley
209:⁄
152:1 train
102:Country
38:Details
900:Howden
741:Thirsk
703:Armagh
623:Heeley
587:Thorpe
539:Newark
477:Rednal
356:Howden
350:Harrow
149:Damage
141:Deaths
133:Trains
55:Howden
716:1890s
648:1880s
569:Wigan
532:1870s
431:1860s
384:1850s
120:Cause
165:The
110:Line
43:Date
169:in
856::
277:,
57:,
831:‡
707:‡
692:‡
677:‡
639:‡
600:‡
591:‡
511:‡
460:‡
309:e
302:t
295:v
211:4
207:3
144:5
136:1
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