PARK HALL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.
CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS
Board of Trade Railway Department
28 Abingdon Road
Old palace Yard S W 1
23 April 1918
I have the honour to report, for the information of the Board of Trade, in compliance with the Order of the 22nd January, the result of the inquiry, commenced by Colonel Druitt and completed by myself, into the causes of the collision which occurred on the 18th January, 1918, between two goods trains at Parkhall, near Oswestry, on the Cambrian Railways
In this case No. 2 up goods train from Oswestry collided with No. 101 down goods train from Wrexham on the single line between Oswestry and Ellesmere Junction. I regret to report that the fireman (T. H. Dyke) of the Wrexham train was killed, and the driver of that train, as well as the driver and fireman of the Oswestry train, were
severely injured. The guard of the Oswestry train also received slight injuries. Both engines and about 14 wagons were very badly damaged.
The Oswestry train consisted of a 6-wheels-coupled goods engine with 6-wheeled tender, fitted with the vacuum brake on all wheels, and 9 loaded wagons, 13 empties and a brake van.
The Wrexham train comprised a similar engine and 12 loaded wagons, 33 empties
The collision occurred about 1.56 a.m. on a dark night. Snow had been falling some hours previously, but at the time it was thawing.
The collision took place 63 chains from Oswestry, on a gradient of 1 in 108 falling towards Ellesmere. The alignment of the railway at the place is curved, and the view to engine drivers approaching from opposite directions is obstructed.
The single line between Oswestry North and Ellesmere junction signal boxes is 7 miles 27 chains in length-and is worked by day by means of Tyler's electric tablet instruments.
The type of instrument originally supplied in June, 1892, was No. 4A, but these were replaced about five years ago by No. 6. There is one intermediate passing place and tablet station at Whittington, which is 1 mile 72 chains from Oswestry North. The electrical circuit of these instruments depends upon a single wire with earthed return.
At night time, the Whittington tablet instruments are switched out, and the whole line is worked as a single section by means of McKenzie & Holland's long-section tablet instruments.
(Dutton and Nevile's patent), applied to the Tyers instruments. A separate line wire is used for long-section working, also with earthed return.
The principal features on the face of these long-section instruments are :-
l. A small window at the top, on which various indications are shown: viz.,
" Clear," " Tablet out from " on red disc, and " Tablet out to " on green disc.
2, Below is a current indicator showing the passage of electric currents, sent or
received on the line wire.
3. A tapper key or plunger for transmitting currents along the line wire to the
instrument at tthe other end of the zection.
4. An upper drawer with lid for replacing tablet the normal position of which
is pulled out
5. A long narrow window to able the signalman to see how many tablets there
are in the instrument.
6. A lower drawer with lid, normally closed, from which tablets can be taken out
when required for use.
The long-section instruments at Oswestry North and Ellesmere were brought into
permanent use in February, 1904, after extended trials lasting for two years
The object of electric tablet train signalling is to prevent more than one train being between any two tablet stations at the same time, and also to permit of a train being started from either end of the section when not already in occupation by a train. This is accomplished by providing that every train carries a tablet, one table obtainable from the tablet instruments for any section at the same time.
If signalman A wishes to obtain a tablet for a train to go to B, he has to transmit the proper bell signal to B, by depressing the tapper key or pressing in the plunger. If B accepts the train, he repeats the bell signal and thereby transmits a positive current to A which releases the lock on the lower drawer of A's instrument, and enable A to obtain the necessary tablet for the train to proceed to B. Neither A nor B can obtain another tablet until the one in use has been handed to B, and he has replaced it upper slide, and pushed home the drawer. When this has been done B is enabled to transmit a negative current to A, which allows A to push home his lower drawer.
By transmission of a positive current from A, the lock on B's upper drawer is released and is pulled out by B
The cycle of operations is completed by B transmitting a positive current to A, which causes a "clear" indication to appear in the top window of As instrument.
The short-section tablet instruments are electrically interlocked, so that it is normally impossible to obtain a long-section tablet at either end until all the short section tablets have been returned to the instruments. Various operations have also to be performed at the intermediate signal-box, which include setting the road for though
running and lowering the semaphore signals, all of which must be locked in position before a long-section tablet can be issued. Similarly, before any intermediate short section station can release its points and signal levers, or tablets be obtained for short section working, all the long-section tablets must be returned to their instruments.
The tablets of the long-section instrnments(square) are different in size and shape from those of the short-section instruments (round.
Conclusion
I. There has been, I think, no previous case of a head-on collision on a single line worked by the Electric Tablet or Staff, forming the subject of Board of Trade inquiry. It is the more a, matter for regret that the evidence of the signalman concerned in this case, Edwards at Oswestry North, and Evans at Ellesmere Junction-directly conflicts on all
material points. Both men have long service and bear good characters been employed at Oswestry for 22 years, and Evans at Ellesmere Junction for 15 years
Their statements appear to be equally worthy of credit, and there is no circumstantial or other evidence to support the story of one against the other.
the short section tablet instruments were switched out at Oswestry Whittington and Ellesmere Junction in the normal manner about 10.26 pm. on the 17th January after the last passenger train had passed. A long section tablet was obtained as usual
by Edwards at 10.32 p.m. for an up goods train, which passed Ellesmere at 11.00 pm. The next tablet was obtained under proper code signals by Evans for a down goods train at 12.30 a.m. This train cleared Oswestry at 1.8 a.m. So far there is no discrepancy in the signalmen's accounts, and the train registers, with a small variation in actual timings, agree.
Evans alleges that at 1.29 a.m. he sent Edwards the usual code signals for permission to withdraw a tablet for another down goods train (from Wrexham), that the signals were acknowledged, and a tablet (No. 9) obtained by him in the usual way, which the fireman of the Wrexham train received. The withdrawal of this tablet altered the indicator at Ellesmere from " Clear " to " Tablet out to." The next beat on the bell key which Evans gave, should have altered the indicator of the instrument at Oswestry from " Clear to Tablet out from Edwards, on the other hand, denies all knowledge of these operations, and asserts that he was nor aware that a tablet had been withdrawn at Ellesmere. The registers of the two signalmen show no measures, or signs of having been tampered with. That at Ellesmere has all the entries for the down Wrexham train, whilst the Oswestry book has none.
Edwards declares that the 1.49 am the indicator of his instruments showing "clear" he wished to despatch an up train to Ellesmere and sent the code signal (4 pause 1 bells) asking for permission to withdraw a tablet, Evans states that he received the call attention signal (one bell) at 1.49 am from Oswestry and acknowledged it. After a moments delay he called Edwards on the telephone and asked " Has the goods arrived ?" He received the reply "Yes it has" Edwards on this point says that his reply question was "Yes long ago" as he thought the inquiry was made in respect of the down goods train which cleared a 1.8 am. Evans denies that he heard the words "Long ago".
Evans left the telephone and alleges that he then received from Oswestry and responded to the proper code signals for clearing his instruments such as would be given by the replacement of a tablet at Oswestry and his instruments went to "clear". Also that he subsequently received the signals for withdrawing a tablet at Oswestry and gave permission in the manner prescribed. Edwards asserts that he went through none of the operations for replacing a tablet, that his indicator at the time showed "clear" not "Tablet out from" that he merely repeated the code signal for mission to withdraw tablet and having received it in the usual manner was able to obtain a tablet (No 21) from his lower slide, notwithstanding the fact that a tablet from Ellesmere to Oswestry was still in possession of the enginemen of the down (Wrexham) train.
the fireman of the up goods received the tablet from Edwards. The latter put the train into section at 1.51 am and received the proper acknowledgement. The registers of both signalmen contain the proper entries for this up train.
The head on collision between the two trains took place about three minutes later, about three quarters of a mile from Oswestry North Box The up goods was running down he falling gradient 1 in 108 at speed of about 20 miles an hour and the driver (Williams) when he saw the down train before him had only time to close his regulator apply the vacuum brake and jump of his engine.
The down goods was moving at a speed of 15 to 18 miles an hour, and driver Sockett had no time to shut of steam or apply his brake before the collision occurred.
The evidence of the two drivers who examined the tablets handed to them by their firemen, of fireman Lewis and the guards Davies and Jones proves that a long section tablet for the section Ellesmere-Oswestry was on each of the engines and the cause of the accident was clearly the fact that the two tablets for the section were out at the same time.
News of the collision was given to Edwards by guard Davies of the up train who returned to Oswestry after the collision, and appears to have arrived at the North Signal Box at about 2.10am Edwards told Evans on the telephone what had happened and received the reply "Good God! hadn't you cleared it"? Edwards answered "Certainly not: I know nothing about the goods" Evans contradicted this statement. By his account about 2.02am that is before Davies could have told Edwards what had happened Edwards asked him "Where is the Wrexham Goods?" He answered "It is there," and retort "No it isn't." A few minutes later he was again called up by Edwards and was then told of the collision.
After hearing the news from Davies, Edwards left his post and went to the scene of the accident. He arrived there before any other employee of the Company, possibly about 2,20 am. He got on the engine step and asked driver Williams "You have your tablets?" and received the reply : Yes and the other engineman" Edwards stayed at the scene only two minutes and was on his way back to Oswestry when he met Station Inspector Pugh and others and turned back with them.
This conduct on the part of Edwards appears to require explanation. He had no authority to leave his post and at first sight it is strange he should have thought it necessary to find out whether driver Williams had a tablet, when he himself handed one to Williams' fireman.
His action was certainly undisciplined, but it is not clear that it was necessarily proof of a guilty conscience.
In his report Col Pringle goes on to report the facts regarding the design or maintenance of the long tablet instruments he also comments on the serious irregularity on the part of one or both of the signal men.
His Conclusion was :
"On the whole case which I admit is one of the most difficult I have had to deal with is that there is no evidence sufficient to prove what actually happened; but, having regard to the fact that the statements of the two signalmen Evans and Edwards, directly conflict on all the material points I hold the opinion that one or both of these men had something to conceal which was not to their separate or mutual advantage and that consequently one or both of them were not working the traffic in accordance with the regulations for the Electric Tablet system.
It is possible that a faulty design of the instruments and a temporary wire contact at Ellesmere (due to the heavy snow fall on the wires) may have been factors in this case but if the instruments were not providing the usual indications and locking it was the duty of the men to call the linesman or put pilot working in force.
I am unable to free them from responsibility in connection with the accident.
Oswestry.
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Whittington High level.
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Whittington High Level Station, which opened as Whittington.
A passing loop was provided at Whittington. Because of this the station, which was situated on an embankment, was provided with two timber platforms. The platform buildings were also built of timber. The station had a small goods yard with a single long siding to the south of the station. A small timber signalbox on the platform controlled the passing loop and siding.
The station was served by mostly local trains running between Welshpool, Oswestry and Whitchurch. The station became an important facility for local farmers who brought in supplies and dispatched produce. Trains, both goods and passenger, passed through the station from areas far beyond the Cambrian network, particularly from cities in the North-west of England.
At the1923 grouping the Cambrian Railway was taken over by the Great Western Railway. They renamed it as Whittington High Level on 1st July 1924 as they had a station in Whittington on their Chester to Shrewsbury main line. Otherwise little changed other than the gradual introduction of GWR motive power and rolling stock. Whittington High Level lost its
goods service at an early date in October 1937. In the late GWR period Whittington High Level was served by seven trains in each direction running between Whitchurch and Oswestry. During the Second World War the line became very busy due to location of large camps in the Ellesmere and Oswestry areas.
On the 1st January 1948 Whittington High Level became part of the nationalized British Railways Western region. Again very little was to change with GWR locomotives and rolling stock remaining the norm. By the end of the 1950s competition from road transport had reduced services and those that did run often only carried a handful of passengers. Whittington High Level was damaged by fire in 1958 and closed on the 4th January 1960. Trains continued to pass through its site.
Today nothing remains of the station. A few courses of brickwork
Whittington Low Level
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Ellesmere.
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.)standing in the cab doorway of D200 awaiting permission to reverse into the station siding to let the service train in from Euston pulled by the 2 37/4s 
.However I was conducted to Machynlleth where a driver was available to take over to Pwllheli,so I acted as 2nd man and enjoyed the scenery(and made the tea which can be dodgy on a 40 as the cooker is on top of the resistor frames.).We were sitting on the locos in the siding and I remember driver Mex and another bloke coming to the cab saying that there was a problem with one of the 37s,(I think it was a power earth fault )and that control needed our locos and driver to take over the service train for Euston.So we swapped trains the service train that day having 10 on and got on with it.I stayed on the 40,as I remember one of the turbos being a bit dodgy the oil level on it was low in the sight glass.On arrival at Machynlleth I was informed by the driver of the 25 that it had developed a field divert fault and had put the switch to off when we were in Barmouth,which meant the traction motors stayed in full field 
. The 25 was indeed removed at Shrewsbury as a failure and i was reunited with our train that the 37s managed to bring up from Pwllheli.the 40 carried on with a fresh driver and I was dropped off at Preston.Its hard to belive that this happened nearly 25 years ago.I know its not related to the old cambrian as such but its a memory I thought Id share while on the subject of class 25s and it was on the Cambrian Coast line.