Accident Returns: Extract for the Accident at Beattock on 28th August 1860

"The Pilotman then sent back an assisting engine, which had gone up the incline with a previous goods train, to Beattock, and followed it. On his return to that station, he went into the telegraph office and asked, whether the o'clock goods train from Carlisle was punctual. He learnt that it was 13 minutes behind its time, and after waiting for 10 minutes, he was informed, also by telegraph, that McCallum's assisting engine had passed Greskine, a telegraph station 5 miles to the north of Beattock, on his return down the incline. He therefore started again for the north end of the single line to fetch that engine to Beattock, that it might be ready to assist the expected goods train from Carlisle, or to do any other work that was required. But he had hardly gone three quarters of a mile from Beattock when met the engine which he was in search of, coming down the single line at considerable speed. Th« gradient was 1 in 80 rising from Beattock; there was a curve in the line which prevented the drivers from seeing each other for much more than 150 yards; the driver of the pilot engine had just time to shut off his steam, and to place his hand on the reversing lever, but no time to reverse his engine before a terrible collision ensued."

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