Page:Engines and men- the history of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. A survey of organisation of railways and railway locomotive men (IA enginesmenhistor00rayniala).pdf/167

 some defaulting members, and funds of £132,665. Special grants of £50 each had been made to two members at Plaistow and Barry "for what appeared tyranny on account of the part they took in the cause of their fellows."

The Loughor disaster deeply stirred the minds of drivers, firemen, and the public, for it turned upon the use of a tank engine as leader on a double-headed express train. It was gathered that since 1876 there had been 25 reports of accidents by tank engines running off the line owing to oscillation when pushed at too high a speed. All too often "Killed by an Act of God" was the verdict on railway accidents, when everything possible was alleged to have been done by companies to avoid such an accident. The Loughor disaster happened on October 3rd, and five persons were killed. At the inquest was the usual array of experts, accompanied this time by Mr. Clement Stretton, who had visited all the wrecks of the last twenty years. It was he who advanced the theory of wreck due to oscillation, and it came out in evidence that in 38 weeks there had been 91 complaints at the shed about engines, chiefly about this one, No. 1674. This was on the second day of the inquest, and the jury, having retired for an hour, returned their verdict at 11 p.m. They found that the accident was due to oscillation of engine No. 1674, and recommended the discontinuance of saddle tank engines on fast trains, thereby fully accepting Mr. Stretton's theory.

Inquests and Board of Trade Inquiries have always formed an important part of the duties of an organiser. They are not only able to assist the member concerned, but often, by their practical knowledge, to assist the court, too. There are still a few coroners who dislike the presence of organisers, and desire that a solicitor, lacking any personal knowledge of railway life, should represent the men concerned. A coroner is as much the king of his own court as a captain is of his ship, and as yet the trade unions have only a courtesy right to place an organiser there. When Mr. Herbert Gladstone was at the Home Office he issued a circular to coroners generally, expressing his approval of the practice of allowing trade union representatives at certain inquests, a practice which he trusted