Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	14th October 1898
Colliery:	Croxdale
Cause:	On Surface
Lives Lost:	1

No. 460 on the list occurred at Croxdale Colliery. belonging to the Weardale Iron and Coal Co., Ltd., on October 14th, causing the death of a locomotive fireman.

On the day in question some waggons were being shunted to be taken to a depot, and to get to this place a siding was passed in which some coke waggons were standing, and the points or switches had to be changed.

The distance or space between the waggons in the siding and the side of the engine was about 8 inches. It was part of deceased's duty to open to the points, but instead of doing this he shouted to a boy who was near to do so, at the time had his back to the way the engine was going, one foot on the side step and the other inside the door, and was hanging over the side of the engine ; and when in this position he was caught by the side of his face against the waggons in the siding and pulled off the eugine, and so severely injured that he died at the infirmary at Durham, where he was removed to on the same day.

The management promised to do away with this siding altogether in future and so give more room.

This accident shows how necessary it is that there should be plenty of room about railway sidings and branches, and also that great care should be exercised by the persons working on or about them.

Source:

1898 Mines Inspectors Report (C 9264), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.

	McAdams, George, aged 34, Locomotive Fireman, Arm crushed very severely. He was leaning out of his locomotive with his back the way it was going, shouting to a boy to change some points, when a truck on another line caught and knocked him off the locomotive and the waggons ran over his arm. Died the same day after an operation at Durham Infirmary.
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