The Trent River Train Disaster is one of those stories about the valley that leave you feeling sad.
The Trent River Trestle is found in Royston and is part of a track that stretches from one end of the island to the other. The bridge was built over Trent River by The Union Colliery Company in the late 1800's. This company was incorporated by the Dunsmuir syndicate in 1888. The bridge was mainly used to transport coal around the island but also had passenger trains.
On August 17th, 1898, a few men looking for a quick ride fell to their deaths when they boarded a train to Nanaimo. The train was not meant to carry passengers so the luck was even more grim.
The train, well going over the Trent River trestle, fell into the valley below from 95 feet up when to the surprise of everyone it's 10 year old wooden beams gave out. The train and its cars were destroyed.
Six people died in the accident. Alfred Walker, Walter Work, Alexander Mellodo, K. Nanko (Japanese), and Osana (Japanese) and a well known politician at the time from Nanaimo named Richard Nightingale. Nightingale owned many businesses and had been a part of the growth of the island. He was in the area on business and was on his way home to his family when when he died. He was a good man, who had only really been in trouble once before when he sold liquor to Natives which was against the law at the time. His loss was felt greatly by his wife and children who sued the company in charge of up-keeping the bridge, The Union Colliery Company.
After a long battle, Nightingale's wife received a $9500 settlement in 1905. The Company built a new bridge and the maintenance was tended to much more carefully from that point on. The company was also involved in other very important cases such as the Union Colliery Co of British Columbia vs John Bryden, in July 1899, regarding Chinese men being hired in the coal mines.
You can see the rebuilt trestle, which is still over 95 feet high and 130 feet long, after a quick walk down the train tracks in Royston. The trestle stands in all its glory abandoned by the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island who discontinued its use indefinitely in 2006. It is a bit scary to cross because its wooden beams are a bit apart with nothing but holes straight down. It has no sides and a small platform built for pedestrians caught on the bridge when a train comes.
Over 100 years old now, the bridge has stood its ground since it was rebuilt and if you search around the riverbed below it, I am sure you can find some sign of the crash. Be it chunks of metal or bits of wood. It still holds the feeling of sadness in the silence of the trees. As you stand over the river on the tracks it's easy to get lost in the thought of falling below. The trees along the river have grown so high they tower over the bridge in places. It is a strange feeling standing there on the bridge with the tops of trees around you.
There is a few ways to get to the bridge. I enjoy the walk, so like to park just off Royston road.
Links below to more info on the Trent River Bridge.
Southern Railway of Vancouver Island
Cumberland Museum Photos of trent disaster
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bcvancou/places/trent.htm
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