Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 25, 1928
Tram v Car.
Wombwell Dentist’s Driving.
A collision between a tramcar on the Dearne and District Light Railway at Nolbeck Lane, Brampton Bierlow, and a private motor car, at 11-50 p.m. on Easter Tuesday led to Cyril Callognan (35), a dentist, of Park Cottage, Wombwell, being summoned at Rotherham West Riding Police Court on Monday for having driven a motor or car negligently. He was fined £4, and ordered to pay 30s. costs. His licence was endorsed.
Mr. A. H. Jackson defended and pleaded not guilty.
Frank Cooper, a tram driver employed by the Dearne and District Light Railway Company, said he was driving a car towards Wombwell, when he noticed some 500 yards away two bright lights. When the lights got nearer witness noticed that they belonged to a private car. The car swung from its right side of the road to the wrong side, and continued there until about 100 yards from witness. Witness then stopped his car. The other vehicle got on to the tram track and came along the lines until about six yards from the front of witness’s tram car. It then swung off to its right side of the road and caught the side of the tram car. The defendant’s car went on for over 100 yards before it came to a stop on its wrong side of the road.
Victor Tweedy, an inspector in the employ of the Light Railway Company, and .P.c. Miller also gave evidence.
Mr. Jackson contended that the defendant must have been drunk or a lunatic if really did what the first witness alleged. Mr. Jackson said that what really happened was that the defendant, who knew Nolbeck lane very well, got on to the tram track for the best part of the road. He unfortunately got his wheels into the grooves tear the metals. He tried to get his wheels out of the ruts, and only succeeded in doing so when he was a short distance from the tram car. This fact was corroborated by the tyres on the back wheels of defendant’s car being torn, which was done by getting out of the ruts.
Defendant and another witness gave evidence to support his statement.