Mr Edward Harford, general secretary to the Amalgamated Society of
Railway Servants, replying to a request forwarded by peers, members of
the House of Commons, and others for information as to the causes of
railway accidents, and the means which, in the opinion of the Society,
ought to be adopted for the safety of the general public and of railway
servants, has issued a list of twenty-three proposals which set forth
the necessary requirements. The principal are the following:
‘All railways ought to be worked on the absolute block-system, strictly
carried out, so that no two trains shall ever be in one section at the
same time.
The blocks and interlocking systems should be electrically combined and
controlled, so that the safety of a block-section shall be under the
control of two signalmen.
Junction block-working should be adopted at all junctions, so that no
two trains which can foul each other at the points and crossings shall
ever be allowed to approach a junction at one and the same time. All
sidings and goods-lines should be provided with properly interlocked
safety-points.
One code of block-system regulations and one pattern of signals should
be adopted throughout the kingdom. A red light should be the only
danger-signal. The practice of using purple or other lights is highly
dangerous.
Facing-points ought to be avoided as far as possible. All
facing-points, and points leading to main-lines, ought to be provided
with a locking-bar and bolts, and properly interlocked with the signals
and with the electric apparatus.
All passenger-trains ought to be provided with an efficient automatic
continuous brake, having brake-blocks upon the wheels of the engine,
tender, and every vehicle throughout the train, and fulfilling the
five conditions laid down by the Board of Trade, August 30, 1877, and
highly approved by the Society. To avoid the present dangerous practice
of brake-power being cut off and rendered useless by the introduction
of an unfitted vehicle, it ought to be the law that the Company should
not be allowed to send vehicles over the line of another Company unless
each vehicle is provided with the same form of continuous brake as that
used by such foreign Company.
All goods-engines should be fitted with brakes upon their wheels,
and those required occasionally for passenger-traffic should have
continuous brakes.
All passenger-trains should be fitted with efficient means of
communication with the driver and guards. Passengers should be able to
reach it without putting their hands outside the window. The present
cord-system is unreliable, and the plan of having no communication on
trains which stop every twenty miles is very risky to the public.
All passenger-platforms should be raised to the standard height, and
all carriages fitted with a high continuous footboard, to prevent
persons falling between platforms and trains.
The crank or driving-axles of locomotive engines should be taken out
after they have run a certain mileage. What the mileage limit should be
ought to be at once decided by the Companies and the Board of Trade.
Overwork on railways is highly dangerous, and ought to be abolished.’