Dear blog reader
This is part 2 of a 3 part series on a railway accident at Shandon in 1895, continuing on from part 1 published a week ago, part 3 will be published next week.
I hope you find it interesting.
Jacqueline
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GLASGOW HERALD TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 1895
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. ALARMING AFFAIR ON THE WEST HIGHLAND RAILWAY – LADY INJURED.
A PASSENGER’S NARRATIVE.
I was a passenger from Fort William by the 4.20pm train. The night was dark, and the train was going swifter than usual, which made the oscillating sensation more felt than ever.
The train was driven by two engines, and composed of three carriages, two horse boxes, and guard’s van, and about 100 passengers, arranged as follows:- Third-class carriage, first-class carriage, third-class carriage, horse boxes, and guard’s van. All well until nearing the home signal at Shandon Station, and when entering the platform we felt a violent shaking of the carriage. It had left the rails, and was forced partly up the bank.
There were four of us in the compartment, and we got mixed up on the floor. Some sprang up and caught the luggage rack as the carriage was dragged along, fearing the train was going over the wall, and, expecting to be killed. Various expressions and symptoms of feat were visible.
When we got out we saw the engines had entered the platform on the wrong side, and the first-class carriage which was next us had been dragged along the island platform on its side about 20 or 30 yards, and the bogie wheels torn off. The third carriage had come up, the end being driven in by the contact with this carriage, and otherwise badly smashed up before the train was brought to a standstill.
None of the passengers were badly hurt as far as I could see – which was a miracle – with the exception of a lady, the sister of a medical gentleman, who was with her, from Uddingston.
Shandon People and History 