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Full Details

Surname
LUMSDEN
Forename
Richard
Day
14
Month
03
Year
1900
Age
29
Occupation
Locomotive Driver
Mine/Quarry Name
Cowdenbeath
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Fife Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Cowdenbeath
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
Deceased who had previous experience as a locomotive driver elsewhere had only commenced work here on the morning of the accident and was assisting the ordinary driver in order to learn the road. When taking a train of twenty-nine loaded trucks down from the pit on a gradient falling 1 in 33 the driver lost control of the train and finding that his locomotive wheels were skidding and that he was unable to pull up he shouted to deceased to jump off at the same time doing so himself. Deceased remained on the engine which left the rails at a set of facing points toppled over and fell upon the weighing table which was broken to pieces. Deceased was thrown into the weighing pit and killed instantly. The whole of the brakes were said to have been pinned down but apparently they had not sufficient power to control the train.