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Full Details

Surname
POTTS
Forename
Joseph
Day
26
Month
07
Year
1907
Age
35
Occupation
Railway Waggon Rider
Mine/Quarry Name
Pelaw Main
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Location
Gateshead
County
Durham
Details of Event
Empty chaldron waggons weighing 2.5 tons are drawn in sets of 46 from the staiths on the Tyne to the foot of self-acting inclines leading to this Ouston, &c. and Heworth Collieries. The road is single line of ordinary gauge and declines to the river, the loaded sets running by gravity taking with them the main rope 2.75 inches in circumference which draws by a stationary engine the empty sets back. There is a curve over 200 yards long where this line passes under the North Eastern railway just south of Pelaw station. On this curve are 18 special binding sheaves places between the rails. The speed is from 6 to 8 miles per hour. A set of 46 empty waggons was being hauled up the first 30 for Ouston &c. Collieries and the last 16 for Heworth Colliery. A waggon rider rode on the front of the first waggon and another was on the set between the 30th and 31st waggons. The rope is attached to the waggon by knock off with a cotterill. When the set was on the curve the waggon rider in front noticed that the rope was running in the framework of one of the special sheaves and he stood up on the buffer and attempted to draw this cotterill on the knock off but before he could do so the sheave was torn up and thrown clear of the rails on the inside of the curve and the leading seven waggons were derailed and he was thrown off and run over. The engineman was aware something was wrong and stopped the engine when the derailed wagons had travelled about 34 yards. Deceased was found clear of the rails and waggons on the outside of the curve and was able to say what had happened. He was much injured and was taken to Newcastle Infirmary, where his died the same day. It was stated that the waggon riders were instructed in the event of the rope getting into the framework of the sheaves not to attempt to disconnect it from the set but to jump off and save themselves.