LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Tamworth High Level Station

Introduction

Tamworth was a small market town and was historically split between Staffordshire and Warwickshire, with the county boundary running through the town centre although the station was within Warwickshire. Following the county boundary changes in 1887, the station lay just outside Warwickshire with the approaches to the station being within Warwickshire. Tamworth's original stations were provided first by the Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway (B&DJR) in 1839 - absorbed in to the Midland Railway (MR) in 1844 - and then shortly afterwards by the Trent Valley Railway (TVR), which was taken over by the London & North Western Railway (L&NWR) before it opened in 1847. The Midland Railway station was situated on the Birmingham to Derby line whilst the London & North Western Railway station was later constructed at right angles to the Midland Railway line and immediately beneath it. Their strategic relationship to each other can be ascertained by the construction of a connecting line joining between the two in June 1847 whereas the Trent Valley Railway's station was opened three months later in September 1847. Tamworth's importance lay in the development of the Royal Mail services which with the Penny Post saw an immense expansion in this important service. In addition to this connecting line, which ran between the London & North Western Railway's up line to Nuneaton and the Midland Railway's up line to Derby (see the aerial photograph of the two stations), there was an abandoned formation of another connecting line which left the Midland Railway's down line to Whitacre just to the north of Tamworth High Level station and joined the London & North Western Railway's up line to Nuneaton to the south of Tamworth Low Level station (see image 'mrthl1808'). With its convenient interchange between the Midland and LNWR services, Tamworth secured a passenger service which was far better than might otherwise have been the case. On the Midland division, the LMS provided some 18 trains each way including a number of expresses. N.B. For clarity when describing the two stations we have adopted from the outset the LMS' description of Low Level for the Trent Valley Railway/LNWR station and High Level for the B&DJR/Midland Railway station. These descriptions were first used in 1924 and coincided with the MR removing its two signal boxes to the north and south of the station with one located on the platform and named Tamworth High Level Signal Box.

Layout and Operation

The two stations were located to the North-East of the market town with road vehicle access being provided at a junction between Victoria Road and Albert Road. Prior to the erection of the Livock designed building, the Midland Railway had a rising gradient approach to its station located on the up (Derby) platform. The Midland Railway's 'High Level' station had two platforms with just two running lines between the platform faces. It would appear that in the first few years prior to the 'Low Level' station being built, B&DJR passengers to access the down (Birmingham) platform they would have had to pass beneath the railway using Bridge 68. The goods shed and yard with sidings was located adjacent to the top of Victoria Road, opposite the junction with Albert Road and was at a much lower level than the running lines. The up platform was significantly shorter than the down platform being equipped with a vehicle dock and wagon turntables at its southern most end. To serve the dock there were two sidings, one running parallel with the dock which had a semi-circular cut out in its face to accommodate one of the wagon turntables. The other siding ran parallel with is siding and it to had a wagon turntable, located adjacent to the other wagon turntable, a configuration allowing railway vehicles to be released from the dock. This second siding also provided access to the goods yard by running beyond the dock, on a falling gradient, for a considerable distance leading to a headshunt whereby a train would then be reversed on to another siding with a falling gradient leading to the Midland Railway's goods yard and sheds. Rail access to the two sidings was via trailing points, the one from the up line starting opposite the dock whilst the down line's trailing point commenced some what south of the station. Between the two was Tamworth South Signal Box.

The principal buildings of Tamworth 'High Level' station were initially located on both platforms. Those on the up platform being located to the north of the Trent Valley Railway whilst on the down platform these were located to the south of the Trent Valley Railway. When the Trent Valley Railway opened its principal station building, located on its down (Stafford) line, it also provided booking office facilities for the Midland Railway together with stairs and lift to 'High Level' station's up (Derby) line. A sign clearly indicating the Midland Railway Booking Office can be seen in images 'mrthl448a'. 'At a later date, early in the 20th century, two additional lifts were installed, both on the 'High Level' station's down platform, with one eitherside of the Trent Valley Railway. Interconnecting steps from the High Level' platform to the 'Low Level' platform were also provided on each side of the Trent Valley Railway. Immediately behind the up platform buildings were two sidings as can be seen in image 'mrthl1835', the nearest one being the road which ran to a locomotive turntable (as seen in any of the Ordnance Survey maps). When this turntable was taken out of use is not certain but the use of the siding for stabling wagons would seem to indicate that it was not in use by the late 1950s if not earlier. On the up platform was the water tank joined in 1924 by an LMS Signal Box, both can be seen in image 'mrthl1836'.

Whilst Tamworth was only a small market town, its location astride the West Coast Railway and the Midland Railway's Derby to Bristol main lines gave it immense strategic importance as a postal exchange point. Mails were first conveyed over the B&DJR in 1840, but it was several years later that the Travelling Post Office (TPO) services became properly organised. In the early days the Midland Railway's TPO ran from Rugby (via the former Midland Counties route) to Newcastle and connections had to be made via the Rugby to Birmingham line for the south west. In 1850, a Gloucester to Tamworth service was established, followed by two years later a through Gloucester to Tamworth to Newcastle working. The inauguration of a separate West Coast postal train, in 1885, was a measure of the growth in traffic. Prior to this time, the postal train had carried a limited number of passengers. In 1927, the down postal left Euston at 8:30pm. It connected with the northbound Midland Railway TPO at Tamworth about 10:40pm, whilst the up West Coast postal connected with the southbound Midland TPO some hours later. Apart from these workings, there were various railway and General Post Office (GPO) parcels exchanges, and the night shift at Tamworth was often hard pressed to cope. When the new Tamworth stations were opened on 24th September 1962, efficient parcels and mail interchange facilities were a major factor in the design. The London North Western Railway station was worked, in mechanical days, from two Signal Cabins, No 1 and No 2 but with the introduction of Multiple Aspect Signalling (MAS) signalling, this was reduced to one signal cabin (the former No 2). The Midland Railway's 'High Level' station was also worked by two boxes for many years. The north box was on the east side of the line beyond the platforms (near the container wagons in the illustration). The south box was on the same side of the line, but south of the LNWR overbridge. These cabins were subsequently replaced by one central cabin on the Up platform, the signalling layout of which is shown in in image 'mrthl1837'. This was, in turn, replaced by Saltley power box in September 1969.

The Handbook of Railway Stations records that both the High Level and Low Level stations had the full range of services available. These are recorded as: Goods traffic; Passenger and Parcels traffic; Furniture Vans, Carriages, Portable Engines, and Machines on Wheels; Live Stock; Horse boxes and Prize Cattle Vans; Carriages by Passenger Trains (GPFLHC). Whereas the High Level station's goods yard was equipped with a 5 ton crane (probably inside the goods shed) the Low Level station's crane had double the lifting capacity being rated at 10 tons. As an illustration of how close was the County of Warwickshire's border can be assessed by the fact that whereas the High Level and Low Level stations are listed in the Handbook as being in Staffordshire, all of the private sidings listed under Tamworth were in Warwickshire. These were: ME Jackson (Gibbs & Canning's Brick and Pipeworks); Kettlebrook; R Lawrence (Glascote Colliery); R Patterson (Glascote Colliery Company's Amington Colliery); Tamworth Colliery Company (Glascote Colliery Company's Amington Colliery); Tamworth Colliery Company's Marshall's Siding; Tamworth Industrial Cooperative Society (Alders Paper Mills Siding); and Thompson & Southwark's Foundry (Kettlebrook).

In all probability, despite having separate goods yards, the LNWR and MR shared their goods yards with each other. Bob Essery noted in his caption to image 'lnwr_tam3642', a 1910 photograph showing a goods shed with both the LNWR & Midland Railway names displayed at Tamworth, that the two companies also shared road transport facilities. In this instance it was not just the traction engine but the trailer too as both carried the two companies' names. Of interest is the fact that the steam traction engine has the two names displayed as 'London North Western & Midland Railways' whilst the trailer displays the two names reversed, as 'Midland & London North Western Railways'. The difference might reflect the principal ownership of the two items. If this practice was followed through to the goods shed then its probably the High Level station's goods shed that is seen. If you note the style of its canopy, it has sides with curved valances, compared to images 'lnwr_tam3133' and 'lnwr_tam3644', you will note the latter images have canopies with valances on the sides that are primarily horizontal and diagonally straight. The only name visible is the LMS' as the photograph was taken after grouping. However if our assumption is correct, that the ownership of the shed can be derived by the first name, then it would be safe to assume that the latter images are of the Low Level station's goods shed.

Much of the information on this and other pages of Warwickshire Railways is derived from Volume One of LMS Stations by Preston Hendry and Powell Hendry together with other articles or books listed in our 'bibliography'.

Ref: lnwr_tam1239 Illustrated News View of the original 1847 Livock designed station showing an early LNWR 2-2-0 arriving at Tamworth

Ref: mrthl448 AWV Mace Edwardian view of Tamworth's main station building which served both the LNWR's and MR's platforms

Ref: mrthl448a AWV Mace Close up showing a variety of horse-drawn vehicles and the LNWR and MR signage at the front of the building

Ref: lnwr_tam1255 Lens of Sutton View of the main station building with the connecting corridor to the High Level station seen on the right

Ref: mrthl1830 P Laming Another view of the main building with private horse drawn vehicles & a LNWR horse drawn bus on the right

Ref: mrthl1829 Milepost 92½ Looking along Tamworth High Level's up platform with the original Livock designed building on the left

Ref: mrthl447 Stations UK Looking to Derby as a goods train departs the station as an ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 passes through the other way

Ref: mrthl447b Stations UK Close up showing Tamworth High Level signal box which was located at the Derby end of the platform

Ref: mrthl1831 Stations UK Looking northwards along the High Level up platform with the short siding on the left serving the cattle dock

Ref: mrthl1108 DJ Norton Looking north towards Derby as the rebuilding of the new station takes place on 2nd June 1962

Ref: mrthl1100 W Wright Tamworth High Level Station's signal box located on the up platform as seen on 9th August 1969

Ref: mrthl1836 Powell Hendry Looking from the up platform at Tamworth High Level towards Derby, from just north of the LNWR tracks

Ref: mrthl1834 Anon Looking obliquely south towards Wilnecote with the a waiting room and lift tower on the right in 1911

Ref: mrthl1838 Anon Looking south along the down platform towards Wilnecote with Tamworth High Level Signal Box on the right

Ref: mrthl1835 Powell Hendry Looking towards Derby from the end of the up platform with a MR water column and signal in the foreground

Ref: lnwr_tam2353a DJ Norton Close up showing some of the former MR High Level station's structures as viewed from the ex-LNWR station

Ref: lnwr_tam1256a RS Carpenter Close up of one of the timber lift shafts built to aid the transfer of mail between the two sets of platforms

Ref: mrthl1575 J Clayson One of Tamworth High Level Station's passengers waits patiently for the next service to New Street circa 1960

Ref: mrthl1577 J Clayson Two trainspotters position themselves halfway up the steps to catch the next train to London or Derby

Ref: lnwr_tam1743 RS Carpenter Station master's house at Tamworth which also included an accommodation annex for other railway staff

Ref: lnwr_tam3642 R Essery A 1910 photograph showing the LNWR & MR at Tamworth shared road transport facilities as well at the Goods Depot

Ref: lnwr_tam3133 Anon A posed BR photograph showing the cartage power available at Tamworth station's goods shed

Ref: lnwr_tam3644 Anon Another posed photograph taken to show the transport facilities available at Tamworth Good Depot

The Connections, actual and proposed, between the MR and LNWR Tamworth Stations 1928

The following information was obtained courtesy of the London North Western Railway Society and is from article published in the Society's Journal Volume 8 No 3 December 2015.

The Tamworth Chord Lines

We start with a short piece written by member George Huxley exposing the mystery surrounding lines around Tamworth. There then follows the result of further work by Robin Mathams and Dave Barrett as part of their Trent Valley Railway History Project. - LNWR Society Editor.

Tamworth East Curve - Notes and a Question by George Huxley

The Tamworth west curve is well known: it ran from north to west linking the Midland Railway with the LNWR Trent Valley line. The boundary between the two companies was about half way along the curve. From the end-on junction the London & North Western had running powers over the Midland to Derby for all traffic with the use of stations other than the MR's goods stations at Burton on Trent and Derby. The curve opened in 1847 and closed in 1969 [see John Cough, The Midland Railway: A Chronology (Mold 1989) pp2-5 and 209].

There was, however, also an east curve. This extended from a position to the north of Tamworth Midland station close to the Stafford-Warwick County Boundary to a junction with the Trent Valley line east of Tamworth LNWR station. The curve was built under the Midland Railway (Branches etc) Act of 1866. Track was laid and was ready to open, but the junction at the Trent Valley end was never completed [Cough, ibid p209J. An 'Ordnance Survey' survey of 19(11 shows the curve intact but with the words 'Railway Dismantled'; the survey is reproduced in Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, Tamworth to Derby (Midhurst 2015) Map III. The Midland Railway Distance Diagram for the Tamworth District of 1921 (Sheet 26A) describes the curve as 'not laid'. I lad the tracks been connected the Midland would have been, it may be supposed, the owner as far as the Trent Vallev Junction, since the line was built under the 1866 Act giving powers to the MR. Cough states that the rails were removed about 1878. Why was the connection never made?

The Tamworth Chord lines By Robin Mathams and Dave Barrett

The West Chord

The Trent Valley Railway (TVR) proposed a branch line from Armitage to the Midland line at Alrewas to provide a better route from the North-west to the East Midlands, but the Alrewas Branch was excluded from the TVR's Parliamentary Bill, which may have been the reason the Tamworth west chord was built - as an alternative. However, as yet, no evidence has been found to support this and there is certainly no clue from the TVR Co Board minutes and other documents. There were later efforts to get parliamentary approval for the branch including the raising of finance, but these all came to naught and the reason why has not yet been found.

In May 1846, the London & Birmingham's Trent Committee (TC) - the L&B had by now bought the TVR - considered the draft agreement with the Midland Railway for the west chord, the arrangements being recommended for acceptance by Thomas Gooch, TVR chief engineer. The TC transferred to the LNWR on its formation and continued to manage the building of the Railway.

On 3rd June 1847 a Trent Sub-Committee appointed to negotiate with the Midland Railway regarding the west curve recommended: 'That additional purchase of land at Tamworth be approved - and that every possible dispatch be used in completing the junction', and a week later, on Thursday 10th June, the TC minuted Mr Gooch's report: The junction line at Tamworth will be completed on Saturday evening next [12th June], and I have written to Mr Barlow [Chief Engineer of the Midland Railway] to put in the points at once to connect with the Midland line'. Mr Gooch's stated urgency was well justified because the TVR planned opening was set for June, then delayed until September because of the compound-girder bridge strengthening, although the opening ceremony went ahead at Tamworth as planned on June 26th.

Also, on 10th June the LNWR Goods Agent reported: 'At Tamworth, I consider that there will be needed plenty of siding and accommodation for loading and trains to and from the Midland Railway as there will be considerable weight in trains that now pass via Birmingham to Derby, Leicester and Nottingham...will have to pass over the incline junction that is being made by your company, and without sidings to dispose of such trains there would be much inconvenience.' This evidence indicates that, because considerable goods traffic to/from the North-west would be diverted over the steeply-inclined chord, LNWR sidings would be required for loading, and marshalling smaller trains to enable locomotives to cope. The chord was single track about 10 chains (220 yards) in length.

In 1849 the LNWR gained an additional link to the Midland via the chord line at Lichfield to the South Staffs line; the link is still in use today.

The East Chord

As George Huxley outlines, it is somewhat shrouded in mystery and we agree. Of the chord, George states it was built under the Midland Railway (Branches) Act of 1866 which suggests it was a Midland Railway proposal rather than one of the LNWR. The earthworks for the potential junction with the Trent Line at 109m 35ch at Bole Hall appear on the LNWR 1880 asset survey and George quotes John Cough who states the rails were removed in 1878, which is why the OS map of 1901 has the curve marked as 'dismantled'. The 1880 LNWR survey shows a signal box in existence for the junction on the Down side of the main line - it is marked 'unused' - and the Down line junction signal is also shown and these two pieces of evidence appear to verify work on the connection was well advanced, but then halted for some reason. The 1901 OS map shows no signal box at the potential junction, which indicates demolition by then. The chord would have been around 50 chains (1/2 mile +) long and the earthworks suggest it was double-track and the parts of the embankment which survive are marked on today's OS maps.

What was its purpose and why was it never connected? The only plausible reason seems to be to provide an alternative route from the Midland line to/from the south which avoided Coventry and Birmingham, there being a route from Burton to Nuneaton, and as it was built under a Midland Railway Act as outlined earlier, it suggests it was a Midland proposal - or was it the LNWR's and the Midland offered to get the Parliamentary approval using its 1866 Act? As the presence of the unused signal-box and junction signals on the LNWR Trent line indicate the line was to be connected, did the LNWR then review its business case and decide against it? Or did the Midland do the same? Or was there a falling-out between the LNWR and the Midland? Whatever, the portion of the line as built appears to have had a very short life of probably less than 12 years. The hunt for further evidence goes on...

1928 Aerial Views of Tamworth Station and adjacent sidings

Ref: lnwr_tam3642 Britain from Above An aerial view of Tamworth High Level and Low Level stations and the connecting line between the two

Ref: lnwr_tam3642a Britain from Above Close up of the rear of the Up platform of the Midland Railway's station, now known as Tamworth High Level

Ref: lnwr_tam3642b Britain from Above Close up showing the goods yard located slightly to the West of the former LNWR Station's Down platform

Ref: lnwr_tam3642c Britain from Above Close up of the East side of Tamworth Low Level station and the Pump House and Water Tank

Ref: mrthl2030 Britain from Above A 1929 aerial view of the Derby to Birmingham line with part of Kettlebrook Sidings seen beyond the main line

Locomotives seen at or near Tamworth High Level station

Ref: mrthl447a Stations UK Close up of the unidentified ex-LMS 4-6-0 5MT storming through the station on a down express service

Ref: mrthl1832 P Kingston Ex-Midland Railway 3F 0-6-0 No 43294 is on a northbound Class 5 express freight service seen in 1952.

Ref: mrthl127 WL Good MR 1F 0-6-0 No 2846 rests between duties whilst standing in Tamworth's MR Goods Yard shortly before grouping

Ref: mrthl128 WL Good NSR 3P 4-4-2T No 8 stands at Tamworth on a Birmingham New Street to Derby service on 19th April 1923

Ref: mrthl444 WL Good Ex-MR 1P 4-2-2 'Spinner' No 644 and ex-MR 2P 4-4-0 No 440 pass through Tamworth station on an up express

Ref: mrthl1102 W Wright Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45382 at the head of the 2:25am Tees to Severn Beach freight on 17th September 1965

Ref: mrthl1111 Anon Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 43709 is seen at the head of a down Class K freight service for Washwood Heath Sidings

Ref: mrthl1105 N Preedy Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45464 picks up water from Tamworth water troughs whilst at the head of a down parcels train

Ref: mrthl1114 D Hewitt British Railways Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 No 92025 passes through Tamworth on a down freight service

Ref: mrthl1113 W Wright BR Type 4 1Co-Co1 D83 passes through Tamworth on the 4:45pm Bradford to New Street express service

Ref: mrthl1104 W Wright British Railways Type 4 Co-Co D1938 locomotive at the head of an up express service passes through Tamworth

Ordnance Survey Maps and schematic diagrams of both the Low and High Level stations

Ref: mrthl1805 National Library of Scotland An 1883 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing both the LNWR and MR stations and goods yards

Ref: mrthl1806 National Library of Scotland An 1883 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the LNWR station, goods yard and signal cabins

Ref: mrthl1807 National Library of Scotland An 1883 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the MR station, goods yard and turntable

Ref: mrthl1808 National Library of Scotland An 1883 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the formation of the link between the two lines

Ref: mrthl1809 National Library of Scotland A 1900 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing both the LNWR and MR stations and goods yards

Ref: mrthl1810 National Library of Scotland A 1900 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the MR station, goods yard and turntable

Ref: mrthl1817 National Library of Scotland A 1900 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the LNWR station, goods yard and signal cabins

Ref: mrthl1811 National Library of Scotland A 1921 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing both the LNWR and MR stations and goods yards

Ref: mrthl1812 National Library of Scotland A 1921 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the LNWR station, goods yard and signal cabins

Ref: mrthl1813 National Library of Scotland A 1921 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the MR station, goods yard and turntable

Ref: mrthl1814 National Library of Scotland A 1938 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing both the LNWR and MR stations and goods yards

Ref: mrthl1815 National Library of Scotland A 1938 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the LNWR station, goods yard and signal cabins

Ref: mrthl1816 National Library of Scotland A 1938 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing the MR station, goods yard and turntable

Ref: lnwr_tam1745 Powell-Hendry Layout of Tamworth's High Level Midland station and the LNWR's Low Level stations including connecting spur

Ref: mrthl1833 Powell Hendry A diagram of the High Level station in its rebuilt state with the up platform lengthened next to the former cattle dock

Ref: mrthl1833a Powell Hendery Close up of the High Level station's up platform which has been lengthened adjacent to the former cattle dock

Ref: mrthl1837 Powell Hendry A 1935 LMS ‘B' plan which shows a number of interesting features being adopted at Tamworth High Level station

Ref: mrthl1115 Midland Railway A Midland Distance Diagram showing the juxtaposition of Tamworth with Wilnecote and Kingsbury stations

Ref: mrthl1115a Midland Railway Midland Distance Diagram showing Tamworth's Midland Goods facilities adjacent to the LNWR Goods facilities

Ref: mrthl2028 K Turton A hand drawn map based on the Midland Railway track diagrams, of the Tamworth Colliery Siding and others

Accident Report by JLA Simmons, Captain Royal Engineers, Inspector of Railways.

Derby to Tamworth 11th February 1848

An accident by collision which occurred on the Birmingham and Derby section of the Midland Railway. It appears that a goods-train left Derby on the 11th February at 7:15 am for Birmingham, that it stopped at Burton to pick up and leave waggons (sic), at Oakley to take water for the supply of the engine, which latter station it left at 8:40 am, being 20 minutes before the proper time for the arrival of the passenger-train, which leaves Derby for Birmingham at 8:15. The distance which it had to travel before arriving at the next place, Tamworth, where it could be got out of the way to allow the passenger-train to pass, was 6¼ miles. The passenger-train departed from Oakley at 9:01 am, being about 1 minute behind time. It was drawn by two engines, and according to its usual working would arrive at Tamworth about 9:12, 3 minutes before the time advertised for its departure, allowing sufficient time to fill the engine-tender with water.

When about half-a-mile on the Derby side of the station, the guard descended from the goods train with a signal, in order to stop any coming train, whilst the goods were being shunted, to allow the passenger-train to pass. He was no sooner on the ground than he heard the other train approaching: it was quite close, and immediately passed him and ran into the goods-train about 100 yards from him. The morning was very foggy, and the drivers of the passenger-train could not see him until quite close upon him. They used their utmost endeavours to stop, but without avail, not having sufficient space. The passenger-train, when its drivers first saw the signal of the goods-guard, were travelling at about 40 or 45 miles per hour, and the goods-train at 15 or 16 miles per hour. None of the passengers were injured. It appears that the proper time for the goods-train to have left Derby was 2:00 am; it was consequently 5 hours 15 minutes behind time, the reason assigned for which was, that there was no engine available to take the train away from Derby, the company not having sufficient locomotive power to supply with punctuality the wants of their traffic.

The cause of this was stated to be the rapid increase of the traffic upon this railway, an idea of which may be formed from the fact that the merchandize (sic) carried in November 1847, exceeded by 20,445 tons the amount carried in November 1846. The Company are now, however, increasing their locomotive stock, several new engines having been delivered from the builders in the course of the present month. It appears also that the driver and guard of the passenger-train were ignorant that a train was in front of them, and therefore had not the advantage of this knowledge to make them drive with caution, and it further appeared in the course of the inquiry, that the guards, although supplied by the Company with watches, do not keep a register of the time of arrival at and departure from every station, but only note the time at the terminal stations. The time-tables supplied to the drivers and Company's servants are very perfect, showing the proper time of the train at every station, whether it stops thereat (sic) or not, and I conceive it would tend much to the safety of the public if the guards were directed to register the actual time of passing each station: it would have the effect of keeping them on the look-out; it would act as a check upon the drivers, and would facilitate inquiries into accidents, and tend to the discovery of those who are to blame whenever they may occur. I also conceive that it would conduce to safety in the working of lines if every engine-driver were made acquainted before commencing a journey with the nature of the train which preceded him, and its hour of departure.

Although fortunately no serious injury occurred to individuals from this collision, and none of the Company's servants have been guilty of a dereliction of duty, I must beg to call to the especial notice of the Commissioners the fact that the collision was caused by a want of punctuality in the working of the goods-train, the times for which are stated in the time-table in the same manner as for passenger-trains. Any deviation from a time-table is a source of danger, and it is essential to safety in the working of every railway that all the trains, both for the conveyance of goods, minerals, or passengers should be worked with the utmost regularity.