Are the lines open? Is the train running? "Wigan Coal and Iron"

"Nos. 7 and 8 pits were a short distance away from the main colliery and were known as Brookside or New Zealand Pits. No coal was raised at these pits when Wigan Coal Corporation took over, but they were used for pumping and ventilation. Shortly afterwards (in 1931) they were filled up.

Wigan Coal and Iron

 

A very tragic and bizarre accident happened here on 13th April 1945 when Ludovic Berry, a locomotive driver employed by the Coal Corporation, was moving 13 loaded wagons in sidings over the filled up No. 7 shaft which was 12ft. diameter and 400 yd. deep. Suddenly the ground collapsed under the leading wagon which fell into a large cavity followed by the rest of the train and the locomotive at an accelerating pace. The locomotive with all wheels locked by the brakes and the driver still at the controls was dragged into the shaft by the wagons and came to rest wedged in a vertical position with the smokebox uppermost 127 ft. down the shaft. The total length of the train was 283 ft. and there were indications on the rails that the brakes had been applied when the train was 226 ft. from the crater. This crater was 52 ft. long and 34 ft. wide. The body of the driver was never recovered, owing to the dangerous condition of the ground surrounding the cavity." p.181.

 INDIVIDUAL

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 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

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GROUP

Ludovic	| | | ------------------------------------------------------- | | |
(Mr) Berry RIP

D. Anderson, A.A. France (1994) Wigan Coal and Iron. Paperback. Smiths of Wigan.
ISBN 0 9510680 7 5.

Cover image file - Amazon. Cover painting David W. Barrow.

See also:
http://www.healeyhero.co.uk/rescue/Collection/ian/2004/page_30.htm

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/stuff/past1.php

Thanks to Mr Harold Parkinson RIP for the book.