hi .. Jannet has the paper you wanted at the salon. here is a bit about
those photos you have .....and Keith wants to know if you have looked at
the info he sent you Love Denise
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard BROWN" <Richard(a)tcroad42.fsnet.co.uk>
To: <POWYS-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 8:26 AM
Subject: Re: [POWYS] Rail disaster
Dear Denise,
Abergele, August 20th1867.
Irish Mail -oldest named train in the world.
Briefly:
15.5 tons of paraffin picked up at Fflint by slow local goods train bound
for Holyhead, marshalled at the back.
By the time it got to Llandulas train was too big to go into the Llysfaen
lime siding so as to let the Irish Mail from London Euston to Holyhead
pass
it. This was because there was another train in the siding.
The goods train was left on the mainline without engine while shunting
took
place.
During this shunting the standing train was hit hard by other wagons,
breaking the hand break on the paraffin wagon which proceeded to roll down
the incline towards Abergele.
1.75 miles west of Abergele the wagons and the Mail collided. Driver
Arthur
Thompson of the Mail saw the wagons only 200yds away in a cutting on
a
curve. He jumped out and survived.
The front three coaches were locked and in the ensuing fire all 32
passengers died, the remaining rear end of the train was undamaged.
The fireman was named Joe -he died.
Llandulas stationmaster blamed for allowing shunting in breach of company
rules.
LNWR blamed for unapproved siding and door locking.
Led to introduction of a ban on main line shunting.
>