RAILWAY – Melancholy Accident at Redcar Railway Crossing

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn News 05/03/1874.

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT AT REDCAR
LANE RAILWAY CROSSING
A YOUNG WOMAN KILLED.

            On Monday (02/03), an inquest was held at Mr Lawrence Thompson’s, Crown and anchor Hotel, Redcar, before Mr William Robinson, deputy coroner, on view of the body of Lydia Perry, 28 years of age, late housekeeper to James Martin, gatekeeper at the Redcar Lane crossing, and to whom she was to have been married that morning.

            The following evidence was given. :-

            James Martin deposed: I am gatekeeper at Redcar Lane crossing. I have known deceased about 12 months. She was my housekeeper. She was a single woman, and 28 years of age. I saw her last alive about 8.15 on Saturday morning. The passenger train from Saltburn, June at Redcar at 845, was signalled, and I was standing against the cabin waiting for it. I always stand on the opposite side of the line to that in which a train is coming. A mineral train, which was going to Brotton, came on to the crossing before the passenger train. I never saw deceased till she was laid down, and the driver of the passenger train gave one or two sharp whistles before I saw her. He did not stop the train, but only gave me a wave with his hand. When I went to the deceased she was lying between the line and the hedge, and was quite dead. I got assistance and removed her to my house. She was coming across the line with some meat for the hens, and no doubt her attention was distracted with the mineral train.

            William Robert Anderson, the next witness said: I am engine driver of a passenger train. On Saturday morning (28/02), I was driving an engine twain Saltburn and Darlington. The train was due at Redcar Lane crossing at 8.42. On coming along. I blew the whistle at the distance board. I saw the woman coming out of the back door of the house. I observed. She was going in front of the engine, and I whistled. She ran forward. I tried to reverse the engine, but the accident had happened before I could do so. I sounded to the guard to stop the train, and on arriving at the station. I gave information to the police.

            This being the whole of the evidence the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”

            The jury recommended that the space on that side of the railway should be increased, its president with be only three feet.

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Lol Hansom August 24, 2013 Accidents, Railway