§ Mr. JAMES THOMASasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the recent collision at Darlington the engine involved in the accident had been in two previous collisions owing, it is alleged, to the break power being insufficient; whether he will cause an inquiry to be held into the brake power of all engines on this particular section of the North Eastern Railway; whether he is aware that no independent investigation was made of the engine in question; and whether he will take steps to have such independent inspections made following railway accidents?
Mr. BUXTONThe Inspecting Officer who held the inquiry in this case informs me that the question as to whether the engine in question had been involved in any previous collision was not raised at the inquiry either by representatives of the Railway Company or by the representative of the men concerned. I have, however, asked the Company for information on the point and they state that the engine had 806 been in collision on one previous occasion owing entirely to the driver mistaking his signals. I am forwarding my hon. Friend a copy of their letter which also deals with the question of brake power on engines of this type. The Inspecting Officer made a personal inspection of the engine before the inquiry, as is usual in such cases; but the brake gear had been entirely broken away by the collision. The brakes had, however, acted efficiently during the journey from Newcastle to Darlington, and the Inspecting Officer considers that the fact that the wheels were skidding at the time of the collision proves that the brakes were then acting efficiently.