The Derbyshire Times, Saturday August 23rd 1924.
Level Crossing Smash
Chesterfield People Injured in British Columbia
News of a serious accident to Mrs. Merle Halliday of Sandwick, British Columbia (formerly Miss Jessie Cooper of New Whittington), reached Chesterfield on Wednesday, in a letter to an old friend.
Mrs. Halliday was motoring with her husband, brother-in-law, and a visitor, Mrs. Cartwright (also formerly of New Whittington), when their car came into collision with a freight train at a level crossing.
The approach of the long freight train, which was travelling trucks first, was screened by foliage, and the driver was consequently unable to see it until it was too late to avert a smash.
The car was overturned and set on fire with very serious consequences to the occupants. Mrs. Halliday was badly burned, her husband sustained three broken ribs and severe burns, two children were also burned and bruised, and Mrs. Cartwright received terrible burns and wounds.
Mrs. Halliday was formerly a teacher at the Old Whittington School and her father was a well-known locomotive driver in that district.
