HC Deb 31 March 1898 vol 55 cc1497-8
MR. C. E. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the collision which occurred lately at the St. John's Station of the South-Eastern Railway, which caused the death unfortunately of three passengers; if he will make inquiries as to whether there exist various systems of signals which would efficiently have prevented the accident in question, and if introduced by the railway companies would prevent similar accidents elsewhere in the future; and whether, should he find this assumption to be true, he would draw the attention of the companies to the fact and urge them to adopt those signals on their respective lines of railway?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) Croydon

An inspecting officer of the Board of Trade is engaged in investigating the causes of the unfortunate accident referred to. The attention of the inspector shall be directed to the hon. Member's Question.

MR. SCHWANN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are appliances now for laying and working fog-signals without the intervention of platelayers or any other servants of the company?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

I have no doubt all these appliances are thoroughly well understood by the inspecting officers.