§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether 11 years ago, in reporting upon a serious collision on the Great Northern of Ireland Railway, between two portions of a train which had become separated, General Hutchinson pointed out to the Company that an automatic brake would have absolutely prevented the collision, by arresting the carriages the moment the separation occurred; whether at that time the secretary of the company informed General Hutchinson that the simple vacuum brake, whose failure caused this accident, was being merely tried experimentally on the line, and that the company had not yet come to a decision as to what brake would be finally adopted; and, whether, in spite of this recommendation, this simple vacuum brake, upon the failure of which General Hutchinson reported in 1878, has remained in use on the Great Northern of Ireland line ever since, and is the same brake that was in use in the recent disastrous collision near Armagh?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHThe facts are as stated in the question.
§ MR. CHANNINGWill the right hon. Gentleman introduce legislation in the course of the present Session?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHYes, Sir; I hope to be able to introduce a Bill on Monday.
§ MR. CHANNINGI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that early on Saturday morning last the engine of a mixed train on the Great Northern of Ireland Railway, near Denny, being insufficient to drag the train up an incline, the train broke away, that 34 vehicles, including two passenger coaches, ran back down the incline for several miles, and that a collision between this runaway train and the mail train from Portadown was only prevented by the mail train being 40 minutes late, and by the night-signalman at Goraghwood shunting the runaway train from the up to the down line; whether he is aware that the two passenger coaches of the runaway train contained a number of soldiers who leapt from the train after the accident, and that the mail train had a full complement of passengers; whether he will inquire whether the guard of the runaway train was only provided with a hand-brake; and, whether the mixed train was marshalled with goods trucks in front, a method repeatedly condemned in Board of Trade Circulars?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHI have been in communication with the railway company on the subject of the hon. Member's question. It appears that the facts are not quite as stated, and I shall be happy to show the hon. Member the letter I have received from the Company.
§ MR. CHANNINGIs it a case for inquiry?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHI hardly think so.