Possible Horse Death on the Railway

[Lensmeister]

Afternoon everyone,

I'm looking for information on an incident that occurred at one of the following stations between the years 1948 and 1970.
Hampstead Heath, London/Middlesex.
Kentish Town West, London/Middlesex
Broad Street, London.
Harpenden, Hertfordshire.
John O'Gaunt, Leicestershire.
Leicester, Leicestershire.
Cardington, Bedfordshire.
Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
Milton, Staffordshire.
Longport, Staffordshire.
Llandudno Junction

It involved a horse (race horse) that was being either put on or taken off of a train when it broke loose and ran on to the track where it was either badly injured or killed by a train.

Sorry for the vagueness only the person that related the story to me died a few years ago. I was trying to research the incident.
I have tried https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/ but nothing showed up.

I don't have any newspaper subscriptions so would appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance.

[CaroleW]

Was the horse owned by one of your ancestors as any report may be under his name

[Lensmeister]

No.

The horse incident (let's call it that) happened at one of the stations he was working at.

On a railway forum I am on they suggested it may be a 'hunt' horse being in Leicestershire and thought possibly John O'Gaunt station (was Twyford station) maybe one.

The person it is related to is William Abrahams. My Nan's brother.

[willsy]

I have found a report of a racehorse not being boxed properly in March 1948 but hit by a bus at Ampthill, in the Bedfordshire Times and Independent 10 Feb 1950. The railway Executive were being sued and only mentions Frederick William Farrar as he owned the horse; Exec. found to have not been negligent.

Adding just in case helps/eliminates another station.

[Lensmeister]

BINGO

That's the right station, the right date era that Billy would have been Station Master.

Billy has been dead a while now. My brain went to "hit by a train".

I must have remembered it incorrectly.

Thank you very much. 

[Lensmeister]

Just to add.

Someone on a Railway forum I use sent me this, this morning

HORSE SHOT AFTER CRASHING INTO STATION BUS

A racehorse named "Hornsey", belonging to Mr. W. S. Farrar, of Hill Foot Farm, Pulloxhill, was being loaded into a horse-box alongside the platform at Ampthill railway station on Saturday for conveyance to Wye, Kent, when it slipped its halter and dashed into the roadway. The horse then crashed into the front of Mr. R. Vale's bus.

The front of the bus was severely damaged, but, fortunately, neither the driver nor any of the passengers were injured. The horse sustained a broken back and a fractured skull, and had to be shot.


"Hornsey", which was to have raced this week, was a six-year-old and was valued at more than 200 guineas.

And

There are more about the court case in June 1949, in which Farrar sued the (shiny new) British Railways Executive. I can't find the result of the case reported, but I did find that Farrar's barrister was called Mr. Mark D. Van Oss, which is rather cute.

[AlanBoyd]

Brilliant find willsey — how did you find that?  I got discouraged after a few desultory searches revealed so many hits about horses being killed.

Anyway, here is the article from 1950 together with a report of the original incident in 1948.


Friday 10 February 1950: Bedfordshire Times and Independent

TRAINER LOSES ACTION
Railway Executive Not Negligent
An action in which a racehorse dealer and trainer sued the Railway Executive for the loss of a race-horse which had to be destroyed after breaking loose from a horse-box at Ampthill was decided by Mr. Justice Slade in the King's Bench Division on Tuesday. The Judge gave judgment in a claim for damages brought by Mr. Frederick William Farrar, of Hillfoot Farm, Pullox-hill. After the horse broke loose while being put in the horse-box to be taken to a race meeting in March 1948. it bolted from the station yard and collided with a bus. The horse, Hornsey, was valued by Mr. Farrar at £350. The Railway Executive denied negligence and pleaded that if there was liability it was limited to £100 under railway contracts. Mr. Justice Slade, deciding the matter in favour of the Railway Executive, said that he was satisfied that Mr. Farrar was told that the horse should be boxed by 6.30 p.m. and Mr. Farrar arrived between 7 and 7.5 p.m.

EFFICIENT HEADSTALL
The Judge accepted the evidence of the Stationmaster that he made it clear to Mr. Farrar that he had "left things very late." Mr. Farrar admitted that he look on the job of controlling the boxing of the horse himself. "I am satisfied that the head-stall provided by the railway company in the box was perfectly capable of making the race-horse absolutely secure" declared the Judge. The escape of the horse from the horse box to the yard was due entirely to Mr. Farrar, who only buckled the head-stall to a position which enabled the horse to escape. Mr. Justice Slade said the Railway Executive had satisfied him that they did not fail to take proper steps to prevent the horse escaping. They only failed to secure the horse through the neglect of Mr. Farrar himself. The Railway Executive were not guilty of negligence in leaving the gate to the station yard open. The action failed, and there must be judgment for the Railway Executive with costs.

Tuesday 16 March 1948: Ampthill & District News

HORSE SHOT AFTER CRASHING INTO STATION BUS
A racehorse named "Hornsey", belonging to Mr. W. S. Farrar, of Hill Foot Farm, Pulloxhill, was being loaded into a horse-box alongside the platform at Ampthill railway station on Saturday for conveyance to Wye, Kent, when it slipped its halter and dashed into the roadway. The horse then, crashed into the front of Mr. R. Vale's bus.

The front of the bus was severely damaged, but, fortunately, neither the driver nor any of the passengers were injured. The horse sustained a broken back and a fractured skull. and had to be shot.

"Hornsey" which was to have raced this week, was a six-year-old and was valued at more than 200 guineas.

[Lensmeister]

      


Genuinely shocked that you all have found so much on the incident.

THANK YOU ALL VERY VERY MUCH

[willsy]

Brilliant find willsey — how did you find that?  I got discouraged after a few desultory searches revealed so many hits about horses being killed.


I put racehorse escape in the first search box, then railway in the other and started at 1950-70's; was amazed it was the right one when I read the replies this morning