Accident Returns: Extract for the Accident at Chatham Hill Tunnel on 9th June 1862

"The stationmaster then told the signalman that he was going to back the Sheerness train into the tunnel in order to get the pilot engine in front at the cross-over road near the west-mouth of the tunnel; and the reply was "All right, sir, you can do it." The station master then signalled to one of the inspectors who was on the engine for the train to go back, and it went back into the tunnel; and at the same moment a down excursion train ran into the station, and the station-master ran from the signal-box along the down platform and ordered the pilot engine out of the turntable siding east of the station, so that it might cross over to the up-line while the down excursion engine was taking water. When the down excursion train arrived at 10h. 6m., the guard said to the stationmaster that his train would have to shunt at Chatham, but was told that he could not. The pilot engine took about four or five minutes in getting out of the siding and in hooking on to the front of the excursion train and directly the pilot engine was clear of the down line, the down excursion train was ready to proceed and the station-master started it, and in about two minutes after it had started, the station-master gave the signal for the Sheerness up excursion train, which still remained in the tunnel to start; and when it had moved about 12 yards, the station master noticed a sudden jerk as if a coupling had broken, and the station master scolded the engine-driver for starting so suddenly, and told him to draw up steadily out of the tunnel that he might see where it was. It turned at that the sudden jerk was caused by the collision in the tunnel which took place about 10h. 12m."

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