Quirky & tragic

Bradford, Thornton and Keighley Railway

Sharp practice on the Bradford, Thornton and Keighley Railway

On Saturday evening a fatal accident occurred on the Halifax, Thornton and Keighley Railway, at No.1 Shaft near Beggarington, Queensbury. The shaft is being sunk for driving the tunnel under Queensbury in connection with the above railway, and is worked by a semi-portable engine. The iron cage had been raised to the mouth of the pit, which had also been covered up, when for some unexplained reason the engine-tenter, William Saddle, started his engine, and drew the cage up to the pulley, where the rope broke, setting free the cage, which broke through the wooden doors at the top of the shaft and fell to the bottom, striking three men who were down at work. One of them, Richard Sutcliffe, a sinker, aged thirty, of Range Bank, Halifax, was struck on the head and instantly killed. Two other men, named John Price and Thomas Dyson, masons, were also severely injured. They were taken to the Halifax Infirmary, and Dyson is reported to have died since. The inquest will be held tomorrow at the Royal Oak Inn, Ambler Thorn.

On Wednesday morning, as a heavy railway truck, loaded with iron rails, was being drawn up the incline, on the works of the Great Northern Railway at Royd Hill, the last link of the chain broke at the end of the strong wire rope to which it was attached. The truck was near the brow of the hill, and on being released soon acquired such velocity that it flew into the air, where it discharged its cargo, and alighting on the wheels, the rebound of the springs caused it to turn a somersault into a small reservoir. The man in charge, who was seated on the chain when it broke, dropped down to the ground and escaped unhurt.

Extraordinary robbery near Queensbury

At the West Riding Court, Halifax, on Saturday, Robert Bell, an engine-tenter, for whom Mr Storey appeared, was charged with being drunk whilst at work on the previous day. Major Ormsby stated that the defendant was in charge of the shaft in connection with the Beggarington tunnel, near Queensbury, on the Halifax, Bradford and Thornton line, now in course of construction. This was about midnight on Friday, and he was drunk. One of the managers called for a policeman, and the defendant was taken into custody.

About ten o’clock yesterday morning, a labourer on the works of the Great Northern Railway at Queensbury, while unloading a truck on the incline at No. 4 shaft, got his foot caught by a balk, and fell backwards across the wire rope. Several of his companions, who ran to his assistance, finding him insensible, and thinking, from the position in which he was lying, that his neck was dislocated, immediately took hold of him by the head and shoulders, and by main force pulled it back again. They state that they distinctly heard the bones give a loud “crick” on being replaced. He still remained unconscious, and after being carried home, was attended by the company’s doctor, Mr John Fawthrop, but revived in the course of a few hours. One of his legs was also badly twisted and grazed by the fall.

On Tuesday, several trucks, three of which had been “spragged”, were carelessly left on the slope of the incline by the workmen at Royd Hill, on the works of the new railway, and started off downwards and were smashed to pieces at the bottom.

Yesterday two gentlemen were driving through Queensbury in a two-wheeled vehicle, and at Hill Top where the tramway crosses the Denholmegate Road, a man suddenly seized the horse’s head and held it back, otherwise the gentlemen would probably have been killed, for loaded waggons came along and passed over the crossing at great speed - they would in all likelihood have crushed the occupants of the vehicle. It really is too bad that so little protection is afforded to the public at this place. What are the authorities doing?

About seven o’clock on Wednesday morning a labourer on the works of the new line of railway at Netherton, John Swires, known as “Punch”, was run over by a locomotive coming down the incline. For some unexplained reason he failed to get out of the way in time although the driver whistled. His right leg was taken off below the knee, and also the toes of his left foot. He was lifted on to the engine and carried to the Halifax Infirmary, and died there on Thursday.

On Wednesday evening a workman named John Fisher, a native of Wakefield, was engaged in drawing an unexploded charge of powder in No.4 shaft on the works of the Great Northern Railway, near Queensbury, when it exploded and injured his face and eyes, so that he had to be led back to his lodgings by his companions.

On Sunday morning another fatal accident occurred on the Bradford and Thornton Railway, near Queensbury. About half past nine a plumber, named Henry Ingham, of Denholme, aged 37, was killed whilst employed in No.4 shaft. He and a companion were repairing some piping which was out of order at an altitude of 30 yards from the bottom (the shaft being altogether 90 yards deep) when, in leaning over the tub, Ingham overbalanced himself and fell to the bottom into the water, which is five or six yards deep. His dead body was recovered soon after.

James Nuttall, a navvy employed on the Halifax, Bradford and Thornton Railway, and residing at Queensbury, was charged before the borough justices, on Thursday, with committing an indecent assault upon a young woman, daughter of the woman at whose house he lodged. The assault, which took place early the same morning, was proved, and the prisoner was sent to gaol for six months, with hard labour.

Shortly before nine o’clock yesterday morning, a banksman, named Sutcliffe Hodgson, aged twenty-seven, and residing at Priestley Hill, near Queensbury, was killed under shocking circumstances at No.1 shaft on the works of the tunnel near that village for the Bradford, Halifax and Thornton Railway.

About eight o’clock on Monday morning two pipe fitters named John Weatherall and George Wright, had a narrow escape from drowning in No.2 shaft of the working of the new line of railway near Queensbury. They were descending the shaft to their work, and it is believed they were being lowered by the brake as the tub in which they were standing was sent down into five or six yards of water at the bottom. One of them climbed up the rope, but the other man being a heavy man went down with the tub. He managed, however, to escape with a ducking as they were immediately drawn up.

About nine o’clock on Monday morning, a labourer named Joseph Gibson, employed as a platelayer in the tunnel for the Bradford, Thornton, and Keighley Railway near Queensbury, was severely injured in the head and body by a large stone which fell from the roof or from one of the trucks near which he was working in the dark. The blow on his head was so severe as to penetrate the skull and cause the brains to protrude. He was removed to Halifax Infirmary.

On Wednesday morning, an accident, fortunately unattended with any very serious results, occurred at the mouth of Queensbury tunnel, Hole Bottom. By the incessant rain of the two previous days, the ground had become so sad and heavy that the timber, which supports the roof of the entrance to the tunnel, gave way, bringing down a large quantity of earth, which completely blocked up the entrance.

Yesterday morning, at about twenty minutes to four o‘clock, a very serious accident happened on the Bradford, Thornton and Halifax Railway, near the Ovenden end of Queensbury tunnel, under Royd Hill, by which two miners, named Henry Jones and John Gough, were killed, and four others injured.

On Saturday evening a supper was given at the Olive Branch Inn, Ambler Thorn, to the foremen and carpenters of the Halifax, Thornton, and Keighley Railway, Ovenden end. The edibles were ample and excellent, and all did justice to the same. Mr Albrighton, the inspector to the company, was unanimously voted to the chair, and opened the proceedings after supper with a song, followed by proposing the health of Her Majesty the Queen and all the Royal family, and afterward that of Mr John Shaw, the agent of the line, coupling the same with the contractors, Messrs Benton and Woodiwiss. During the evening songs were sung, and some of the company indulged in dancing. The health of the chairman was drunk, also that of the host and hostess, and after a thorough and enjoyable evening, the company dispersed shortly after ten o’clock.

Another accident of a serious nature happened last Wednesday to a young man, named Isaac Dealey, employed on the Halifax, Thornton, and Keighley Railway. It appears he was engaged near the Ovenden entrance to Queensbury tunnel, in pressing home a dynamite cartridge with a wooden rammer, when, it is supposed, on account of too violent pressure it suddenly exploded, injuring the man most severely about the head and face. He was conveyed to the Halifax Infirmary where he now lies in a dangerous condition. It is to be hoped the frequent accidents resulting from this highly explosive substance will teach the men to be more careful in dealing with it.

When the construction of the Queensbury branch of the Halifax, Thornton, and Keighley Railway first began it was found necessary to pull down several of the houses at Hole Bottom, which obstructed the line of route to Thornton. In one of these houses an old woman, named Sarah Warburton, had lived all her life, in fact the house had been in the occupation of the family for upwards of ninety years.

Another accident happened at the Halifax, Thornton, and Bradford Railway on Sunday evening. It appears that fitters having fixed an additional pipe 9in long and 12in bore to the pump in connection with No.4 shaft of the Queensbury tunnel, had taken out the spear rods by which the pump is worked, to make the necessary addition to their length.

Yesterday, an inquest was held by Mr Barstow, coroner, at Armstrong’s Hotel, Bradford, respecting the death of Richard Jones, who died from injuries received while at work in the Queensbury Tunnel on the Bradford, Halifax and Thornton Railway. The deceased, who was thirty-three years of age, went under another name upon the works - a custom not uncommon upon navvies.

A serious accident occurred on Monday, a little after noon, to a young man named Thomas Mann, employed at Hole Bottom, near Queensbury, on the Halifax, Thornton and Bradford Railway. It appears he was recklessly playing with a dynamite cartridge, when it exploded, and blew away the forefinger of his left hand, and the thumb of his right hand from the first joint, besides badly damaging two other fingers, and injuring one of his eyes. He was immediately removed to Mr Fawthrop’s surgery, where his wounds were dressed.

On Saturday last, sixteen men employed of the Halifax, Bradford and Thornton Railway, near Queensbury, narrowly escaped being killed. It appears that at noon sixteen of the navvies working in Hole Bottom left off for dinner, and got into an empty truck which was being drawn along the tramway towards Queensbury. This tramway is laid over the hill on which Queensbury stands, in a line with the shafts which had been sunk for the excavation of the tunnel, and at most of these shafts a stationary engine is fixed to pull the trucks up the inclines.

On Tuesday morning, one of the men employed in the tunnel at Hole Bottom met with an accident while at work. It appears in traversing the scaffold on which the masons work, he unwittingly stepped on the loose end of a plank, which tilted and caused him to fall into the bottom of the tunnel. He sustained severe injuries about the head and back, and one arm was badly crushed. He was conveyed to his home in Wheatley, where he is progressing favourably.

On Thursday morning, a young man, named Llewellyn Jones, died at Queensbury from injuries received on the Halifax, Thornton, and Bradford Railway. Deceased was employed as a miner in the tunnel at No.2 shaft. On the morning of the 17th inst, he commenced drilling a hole which had been left by the men on the night shift in ignorance of its being charged, when it exploded and severely injured him about the right arm and face. He was assisted home and medical aid obtained, and up to Tuesday last appeared to be progressing favourably, when lock-jaw set in, and all the efforts of the medical men proved futile, the deceased expiring on Thursday morning in great agony.

On Monday, a serious accident happened to a mason named James Hollins, employed on the Halifax, Thornton, and Bradford Railway. It appears he was engaged in picking up some wedges from between the locomotive and some empty waggons, which were standing just inside Queensbury tunnel at the Netherton end, when the engine driver, having previously whistled, started the engine, and Hollins was caught between the buffers and severely crushed. He was taken up helpless, and conveyed across the hill by means of the tramway to his residence at Slave Row, Queensbury. Mr Fawthrop, surgeon, was immediately summoned. Very slight hopes are entertained of the man’s recovery.

An inquest was held at the Granby Inn, Queensbury, on Tuesday, before Mr Barstow, coroner, on the body of a miner named Frederick Goulding. Deceased was employed in the railway tunnel at Hole Bottom, and on the 31st ult. was standing near an empty truck whilst a large piece of rock was being rolled down from the top heading, when the stone unexpectedly struck the waggon, and crushed Goulding between it and a piece of timber supporting the roof. Assistance was immediately rendered, and deceased was conveyed to his lodgings at Granby Feld. He succumbed to his injuries early on Friday morning. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death”.

A man named Pengrove, a navvy on the new railway at Queensbury, but who resides at Sowerby Bridge, died suddenly on Wednesday. He went into a beerhouse and complained of being unwell; he stayed some time, and then a friend offered to go home with him, but they had not gone many yards before Pengrove exclaimed, “Oh, I’m dying”. He was taken back to the house, and died at once. He was a weak and ailing man.

Another accident happened on Tuesday evening to one of the navvies employed on the Halifax, Thornton, and Keighley Railway. He was working on a scaffold in the tunnel at Hole Bottom, when he slipped and fell to the bottom, a distance of about seven yards. He received very severe injuries about the head, arms and ribs, and was taken to the Infirmary at Bradford.

A very serious accident happened on the Halifax and Thornton Railway on Tuesday afternoon. It appears that a young man named John Cunningham was employed in the Netherton cutting as brakesman, and was attempting to “sprag” a number of waggons, when he missed his footing and fell across the rails. Several persons working at a short distance observed the accident and hastened to the spot, when it was found that the waggons had passed over both the man’s legs, completing severing them from the body a little above the ankle. The injured man was immediately placed in an empty waggon and conveyed down the Ovenden line to the Halifax Infirmary, where he lies in a precarious condition.

William Murray, a labourer, fell while at work in the new tunnel at Queensbury, the consequence being that some of his ribs were badly crushed. He was taken to Halifax Infirmary.

Last Saturday morning another accident happened in Queensbury tunnel, by which two men named Herbert Evans and John Newstead received severe injuries. It appears Evans, who is a bricklayer, was preparing to come down from the top scaffold on which he was working, when he missed his footing and fell to the bottom, a distance of nine yards, sustaining serious injury about the spine. A labourer going up the ladder at the time, with a piece of timber on his shoulder, was so startled by the occurrence that he let the timber fall and hit Newstead, cutting him badly about the head and face. Both men were brought out at No.3 shaft, and conveyed to their lodgings. Medical assistance was immediately sent for and they are both reported to be progressing favourably.

On Wednesday morning a young man named William Mitchell, whilst engaged in tipping trucks near the Netherton cutting of the Halifax, Thornton, and Keighley Railway, was seized with a sudden giddiness and fell down insensible. Medical assistance was immediately sent for, but without avail, as life was extinct in a few minutes. The body was removed to the Malt Shovel Inn, Ambler Thorn, and after medical examination a certificate was given stating that death had resulted from an apoplectic fit. About a month since, deceased, who is an unmarried man, was subject to a similar attack, from which he rallied.

During the night of yesterday week another accident happened in Queensbury tunnel, by which two men were injured. Happily the injuries are not of a dangerous character. It appears that a number of men were working in the tunnel on the night shift, when the supports of the roof above them gave way, and let down a quantity of earth. One of the lumps struck a man named Ellis, and hurt him severely in the ribs. He was conveyed to his lodgings, and medical assistance obtained, and he is reported to be progressing favourably. Another man living in Great Horton had one foot badly injured.

On Wednesday, Thomas Mark, an excavator, employed at the Queensbury Tunnel, had his thigh accidently broken through some earth falling upon him. He was conveyed to the Halifax Infirmary.

Another accident of a very serious nature occurred yesterday at the tunnel under Queensbury, to an excavator named Thomas Williams. He is a Welshman, and whilst working in the tunnel a piece of rock fell upon him, and severely injured him. He was conveyed to the Halifax Infirmary, and it is feared his back is broken.

On Wednesday last the traveller who might have ascended the hill from any part to the summit at Queensbury would have reason to suppose that something out of the usual way was taking place there, the fact being that the contractors and sub-contractors of the new line of railway, now nearly completed, had resolved to celebrate the completion of the Queensbury tunnel by treating the whole of the men employed on the works to dinner, which was provided in a large tent erected on the ground adjoining No.5 shaft. It was certainly such a sight as is not often seen, to behold upwards of 300 men of this class dining together.

The new line of railway between Bradford and Halifax will, it is expected, be opened for traffic (goods and passengers) during October. A passenger train, containing officials, has left Laisterdyke, passing over the line through Horton, Clayton, Queensbury Tunnel, Ovenden etc to North Bridge, Halifax, and then returned. This was for an inspection preliminary to the visit of the Government inspector.

On Tuesday and Wednesday the Government Inspector of railways, Major General Hutchinson, made the final examination of the new line between Bradford and Thornton, previous to the same being opened for passenger traffic, which the company announce for Monday next.

The new line between Bradford and Thornton was opened on Monday for passenger traffic, and the event appeared to excite considerable interest amongst those resident in the immediate route of the line. The trains were well filled.