William Shenton
William was the engine driver of a Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR) goods train involved in a serious railway accident at Sandal, just south of Wakefield.
Huddersfield Chronicle Monday 30th November 1891
RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR WAKEFIELD
An accident of a serious character occurred late on Friday
night on the Great Northern railway at Sandal, near Wakefield. Owing to the
prevalence of a dense fog, two goods trains came into collision, and the result
was that both lines were blocked. From the particulars which transpired on
Saturday, it appears that the express came up at full speed, and dashed into
the debris. Fortunately it kept the line and was pulled up a few hundred yards
nearer Wakefield, when it was found no one was seriously injured. The escape
from injury and death was marvellous, as the engine and coaches, after
colliding with the truck of the goods train, passed over various kinds of iron
works, and became entangled in the gearing. A wheel of one waggon stuck fast in
the bogie of a Pullman car in the express, and it is astonishing that this did
not throw the train down the embankment, close to which the mishap occurred.
