Some archive pictures of the West Highland Line north of Helensburgh.
By Robert Crerar
An accident occurred yesterday on the West Highland Railway at Shandon, whereby four persons were injured. It seems that the 7.13 a.m. train from Glasgow to Fort-William was drawn up at the home signal just outside Shandon Station in order that a horse-box, which was next the engine, might be detached.
The engine with the horse-box went forward to the platform, but the brakes seem to have failed to work to the rest of the train, with the result that the train moved down the slight incline to the platform, a distance of about a quarter of a mile, increasing momentum until it gathered considerable speed near the station.
The driver of the engine, while carrying out his shunting operations at the station, noticed the rest of his train hurtling along, and (says the “Daily Record and Mail”) without a moment’s delay decided on his course of action.
To allow the train to proceed was to run a great risk of it coming to grief by jumping the metals and being hurled over an embankment, so he decided to bring his engine with the horse vehicle to a standstill and let them receive the shock.
The collision between the rapidly moving carriages and the engine was severe, and led to the first carriage, a first-class saloon, being telescoped by the horse-box, but the other carriages kept the metals and came to a standstill.
There were about 40 passengers, pretty equally divided between first and second-class fares, and the greater number suffered to some extent by the accident. For a time there was a scene of great confusion and distress.
Fortunately, a couple of English doctors on tour were on the train, and rendered valuable assistance in attending to the injured, some of whom were seriously affected. The wife of an English Church dignitary, travelling with her husband and daughter, was completely prostrated by the shock. Councillor Sellars, of Helensburgh, was injured about the back. Mr John Williams had his mouth injured, and an Helensburgh workman named Ganning had his head cut.
Most of the passengers, after having been attended to, proceeded by the train, which was delayed over an hour. Fortunately, the first-class saloon telescoped had had the fore part closely packed up with luggage, otherwise it might have been occupied by passengers and loss of life resulted.
The passengers for the most part were English tourists bund for Fort-William. The wrecked saloon and horse-box were left in a siding at Shandon.
– Edinburgh Evening News, Saturday 2nd July, 1904
Found on the Random Scottish History facebook page (an excellent website for anyone interested in the kind of history you weren’t taught at school).