FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - What might have proved one of the most disastrous railway accidents in the North of England in recent years was just averted by the presence of mind of the driver of a shunting engine just outside Bank Top Station, Darlington, early on Saturday morning. The 8.15 Scotch express from King's Cross to Edinburgh, consisting of ten vehicles and drawn by two powerful modern locomotives, was speeding its way north at a rate of something like 55 miles an hour when the driver of the pilot engine observed a light engine standing on the metals over which his train had to pass. This last-named engine had come from Croft. Fortunately the driver of the light engine noticed the Scotsman approaching and promptly put on full steam, thus averting a serious disaster by lessening the impact.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Richmond's new council chamber, furnishings and fittings of which have cost approximately £2,600 will be opened by the Mayor of Richmond Frank Dickinson before the Town Council meeting on Thursday. The room is impressively furnished with oak and red hide seats and at the windows there are beautiful old gold curtains. Special holders have been made for the mace and the Mayor's silver stick of office and oak panels behind the dais will bear the names of Richmond mayors since William Wetwange in 1668.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Cleveland farmers whose fences, hedges and walls were damaged through snow clearance are all set to present Langbaurgh District Council with the bill.

At a meeting of the Cleveland branch of the NFU on Tuesday, members said that Langbaurgh, as agent of the Cleveland County Council, was responsible for snow clearance and the damage occurred because the council did not have the proper equipment for the job.

The heavy earth moving equipment used because of the lack of snow blowers resulted in hundreds of pounds of damage to their property. Instead of the snow being blown away it had been piled up on the roadsides damaging fences.