`I love this #accidentaljourney thread, so eye-opening and embodied. Look forward to reading more. When I worked for the Living with Machines project I briefly collaborated with colleagues on a project on "railspace": www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgN...
Makes me think about interesting connections...
One example here, but have a look at #AccidentalJourney, from this account, for others!
bsky.app/profile/rwld...
Really like these blogs, by @giorgiatolfo.bsky.social & for @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy!
They link archival research, embodied experience & ways of seeing, knowing & feeling.
Strikes a chord, as we do similar on our #AccidentalJourney threads!
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional...
A year ago, as part of #Railway200, we went on an #AccidentalJourney, to #Aberystwyth, #Wales.
We traced our route via entries in the Railway Work, Life & Death project database, of past railway staff & their accidents.
Read the thread here:
Overall: stay safe & well!
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/ENDS
A reminder that there's more on the Railway Work, Life & Death project data release in our current blog.
Now we're off to the #Wales data launch - looking forward to this, including meeting some of our Welsh partners!
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk/69000-railwa...
And that's the end of today's #AccidentalJourney!
Thanks for reading; hopefully it's been of interest.
It's really a surface-level look at a few of the accidents in our free database. Please take a look at it - & let us know what you find!
railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk
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Posed staff safety photo, showing a railwayman at work underneath a railway engine.
He was oiling the inner workings of an engine when another engine nudged it. He was crushed by the steam engine's rods.
Multiple failings of procedure were indentified in the report, not least that staff were unaware of safety protocols.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
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Gomm also appears elsewhere in the Railway Work, Life & Death project database, as he had another accident.
On 28 April 1914, at Pantyffnnon, he slipped over a point rod covering, hurting his hand & knee. He was off work for 3 days.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/30
Posed staff safety photograph, showing a railwayman moving a wooden crate with a jagged metal fastening sticking out, potentially catching his hand.
Penultimate stop: #Gowerton!
On 10 March 1914 GWR goods guard Gomm was injured.
A nail in a box cut his hand. Before penicillin this could have been fatal.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/29
Posed staff safety photograph, showing a railwayman riding on the steps of a steam locomotive as it meets wagons on the adjacent line at a converging point - the railwayman is in danger of being crushed.
Now at #Swansea. Here, on 18 September 1888 Midland Railway number-taker Alfred Dacey was 'slightly crushed'.
He was riding on the steps of an engine when it happened.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/28
It could easily have been fatal. He only lost 2 finger nails. No doubt the slow speed helped.
The investigation show the lines were too close together - the Company later increased the distance between lines, from 5 feet to 6 feet.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/27
Posed staff safety photographs, showing ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ ways of working a capstan – concerned with ensuring the rope didn’t tangle in the railwayman’s legs. A cylinder in the ground with a rope wrapped around it; when it revolved it drew the rope in, moving the wagon the rope was attached to forward.
On to #PortTalbot now.
Port Talbot Railway & Docks Co tipper H Michael had his leg injured on 27 July 1900.
Using a capstan to move a wagon forward, the chain broke.
He was off work for 24 days, receiving 16 shillings compensation.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/25
Posed staff safety photograph, showing two railwaymen looking at a pair of points, with their backs to oncoming traffic.
At #Bridgend now, where on 24 November 1904 Barry Railway point oiler G Gould was injured.
Walking in the track, he slipped on a board - ironically covering a trip hazard: point rodding.
He didn't leave work; he was paid 3/0 per day.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200 #Wales
/24
As ever, the Railway Work, Life & Death project has lots to say about the nature of work & life - on the railways, and beyond.
It's so much more than 'just' railway worker accidents, important though they are. This is a #SocialHistory project.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/23
He received £1.4.0 compensation - around £166 now.
He was fortunate in his timing - this was around the time the Workmen's Compensation Act came in.
Before that he would likely have received no compensation.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/22
Why was Shrubnell - a telephone clerk - out & about on the tracks, trying to couple wagons?
This was a skilled task - not to be attempted lightly.
Where did he get the coupling pole? Was this regular practice, or a one-off?
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/21
Posed staff safety photograph, showing a railway worker using a coupling pole; if the pole slips, then his hand will be crushed between the buffer head and the buffer case.
Arrived at #Cardiff.
On 6 March 1897 Taff Vale Railway telephone clerk Ernest Shrubnell was injured at the docks.
His fingers were crushed between buffers as he tried to use a coupling pole.
He lost 3 fingers; he resumed work on 3 May 1897.
#AccidentalJourney
/20
Now into #Newport, #Wales, on our #AccidentalJourney.
Here Brecon & Merthyr Tydfil Railway carriage cleaner William Powell had at least 7 accidents in our database, between 1911 & 1916.
All were minor; none resulted in any time off.
#Railway200
/19
GWR Magazine extract, showing emergency telephone inside Severn Tunnel, and describing the safety mechanisms in place inside the tunnel. Courtesy Didcot Railway Centre.
In the Severn Tunnel, on 14 January 1929, GWR track workers HR Shore, F Thompson & JS Compton suffered head injuries.
They were hit by a door left unfastened by a passenger. Guards were given particular instructions about checking doors.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/18
Steam train pulling carriages, emerging from tunnel by a signal box. From GWR Magazine, courtesy Didcot Railway Centre.
Heading for #Wales now - under the water!
The Severn Tunnel appears in 16 cases in the new Railway Work, Life & Death project data release - though there would have been more cases where records don't survive.
Img: GWRMagazine.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/17
Posed staff safety photograph and explanatory text, showing a railwayman stumbling as he gets down from an engine, and ending up with his hand on the rail, about to be run over by a wagon.
Our #AccidentalJourney has reached #Bristol Parkway - what was once Stoke Gifford.
Here, on 29 October 1918 GWR shunter C Reynolds was injured.
As he was getting off an engine, he stumbled; he was knocked under a wagon.
#Railway200
/16
Though we've left #Swindon, we're not done with it!
As you might expect, the GWR was such a massive presence in the town & employed so many people at the Works & beyond - meaning there were lots of accidents.
554 appear in our new data release alone.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/15
Certainly many of these roles were gendered in particular ways - women were 'expected' to undertake or work in particular roles: like kitchen work.
Accidents give us a way in to this otherwise largely unseen work!
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/14
www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk/railwaywomen...
Plenty of women worked on the railways, from the outset, in all sorts of capacities.
Mabel might have been a long-term GWR employee; she might have joined during the First World War.
By 1921 she was undertaking 'household duties'.
#AccidentalJourney #Railway200
/13
The #AccidentalJourney has reached #Swindon.
Here, on 8 October 1919, MA Lidbury was injured in an unspecified way.
Sometimes the records aren't fully revealing!
They do give the grade, however: 'handmaid'. Background research suggests this was Mabel Lidbury.
#Railway200
/12
We know what happened next - thanks to the records!
The GWR were recommended to cover the trip hazard; instead they improved the lighting. An interesting response - but at least a response!
(They were supposed to have covered trip hazards since 1902!)
#Railway200 #AccidentalJourney
/10
We start the #AccidentalJourney in #Oxford.
On 1 December 1924, at 05.30, Great Western Railway passenger shunter EJ Mumford was injured.
Having disconnnected 2 coach vestibules, he slipped on point rodding & fell against a bridge girder. He broke a rib.
#Railway200
/9
All of these #AccidentalJourney cases have come from our free project database, put together by our brilliant volunteers, without whom this wouldn't be possible.
A massive thanks to them all for their hard work.
Do explore the data: railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk
/8
Posed 1920s safety photo, showing a driver near the front of a steam loco as it was moving, warning of the dangers of leaving the cab whilst the engine was travelling.
There's more detail on today's #AccidentalJourney cases - and many, many more accidents & their effects - in our free project database.
It now totals over 115,000 cases!
We welcome your information & insight into those cases - please get in touch!
railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk
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