Shuntings hard work terrible hard work for men; I mean the shunting of goods trains at the little stations picking up empty trucks, and setting down the full ones; coupling, and uncoupling; and waving of lanterns, and shouting and muddling about; and mostly in the dark; for, you see, the passenger traffic is nearly all in the day-time, while we carry on the goods work by night. Ah! shuntings queer work where theres many sidings, and you are tripping over point-handles, and rods, or looking one way for the train and going butt on to an empty truck the other way. Theres some sad stories relating to shunting stories of fine young fellows crushed to death in a moment; let alone those of the poor chaps you may see to this day at some of the crossings with wooden legs or one sleeve empty soldiers, you know, who have been wounded in the battle of life, and I think as worthy of medals as anybody.
Of course, you know, a pitch-in will come some time spite of all care; and Ive been in one or two in my time, but never to get hurt. I remember one day going down our line and getting pretty close to a junction where another line crossed the down so as to get on to the up. I knew that it was somewhere about the time for the up train to come along, for it was generally five minutes before me, and I passed it about a couple of miles before I got to the junction me going fast, it slow. Sometimes we were first, and then it was kept back by signal till we had passed, so that on the day I am talking of, I thought nothing of it that my signal was up All clear, though the up train hadnt crossed, and with my stoker shovelling in the coal, I opened the screamer and on we were darting at a good speed ours always having been reckoned a fast line.
All at once, though, I turned as I had never turned before thoroughly struck aback; for as I neared the station I saw the signal altered, and at the same moment the up train coming round the curve; then it was crossing my line; and it seemed to me that the next moment we should cut it right in two and go on through it. But we were not quite so nigh as that, and before we got close up I had shut off, reversed, and was screwing down the break, for my stoker seemed struck helpless; then I just caught a glimpse of him as he leaped off; there was a crash, and I was lying half stunned back amongst the coal in the tender, and we were still dashing on for nearly a mile before I was quite recovered and the train at a standstill.
I was half stupid for a bit, and on putting my hand to my head I found that it was bleeding, whilst the screen was bent right down over me, and had saved my life, no doubt. As far as I could see then there was no more damage done to us, and just then the guard came running up and shook hands when he found Id got off so well.
But wheres Joe? he says, meaning my stoker.
He went off, I says, just as we went into em. How about tother train?
Lets run back, he says; and I put her gently back; but all the while in a muddly sort of way, as if I wasnt quite right in my head, which bled powerful. Then there was a good deal of shouting and noise amongst the passengers; but my guard went along the foot-board from coach to coach till he had quieted them all pretty well, and then by that time they signalled to us to stop.
Not many ruins to see, there wasnt, only the guards break of the up train, which my engine had struck full, and another few seconds of time would have let us go clear; while how the points didnt throw us off I cant tell, for its quite a wonder that my train kept on the line.
The guards break was knocked all to shivers, of course, but he had jumped out and escaped with a bruise or two; but not so poor Joe, as I soon saw; for when I asked about him, they showed me something lying under a tarpaulin which a doctor was just putting straight again. But of all things that struck me on the day of that accident there was nothing like the face of the poor young fellow as had the management of the signal. I never saw a face so pale and ghastly and frightened before. But there let it rest. I suppose he was frightened and confused at seeing the two trains coming in together; and as better men have done afore now, he lost his nerve.
Ever kill anyone? What! run him down? Yes, one. Shocking thing, too, and one I dont much like talking about; but then, it was not my fault, and I did my best to save him: but then, what can you do when youre going nearly a mile a minute?
That was a shunting case, that was, with a goods train, at a little
station, past which we on the express down used to go at the rate I said just now. This goods up used to stop there, and be picking up and setting down nearly every day when we passed. I used to give a whistle, and then it was touch and go, and we were thundering along and past them. But one day as we were running along the straight I could see the guard signalling his engine-driver to back a bit to run into a siding, as it came out at the inquest, for some empties, and to do this, what does he do but step on to the down line, and right in front of my train.