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Broken spring led to tragedy
Page 47
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A CRASH in which the driver of a double-decker bus was killed when a lorry went out of control was caused by a broken front spring, a Whitehaven inquest was told last week.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death on 51-yearold Mr Thomas Knox, a Cumberland Motor Services driver, of Mirehouse, Whitehaven.
Mr H. T. Gough, the Coroner for West Cumbria, said that the accident happened in July as the bus approached a righthand bend. Travelling in the opposite direction was a lorry driven by Mr Stanley Woods, self-employed haulage contractor of Maryport, West Cumbria. As the lorry, loaded with 10 tons of chippings, took the bend the weight was transferred to the offside. And that, said Mr Gough, was too much for the spring which already had one leaf broken.
PC A. Strachan said the lorry driver told him he had changed into top gear when he heard a loud cracking noise and the lorry started to go to the right. Woods also made a statement that " I pulled with all my strength on the wheel to get the lorry back, fighting with the controls all the time."
Woods had also stated that his 'lorry was checked the day before the accident. He de dined to give evidence at the inquest.
A metallurgist, Mr Thomas D. McKellor, Charley, said there had been a fracture in the second leaf of the spring for at !east a month, owing to metal fatigue and weight.
Mr Kenneth C. Amor, commercial vehicle fitter with Eskett Services Ltd, Frizington, said that he issued the maintenance and inspection form after a visual check made in the pit with the aid of a handlamp. It was not a service. He did not find any breaks. It was a check to see if the vehicle was roadworthy.