, ▁which ▁author ised ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trade ▁to ▁require ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁continuous ▁automatic ▁bra kes ▁on ▁passenger ▁rail ways , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁block ▁system ▁of ▁sign alling ▁and ▁the ▁inter lock ing ▁of ▁all ▁points ▁and ▁signals . ▁This ▁is ▁often ▁taken ▁as ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁era ▁in ▁UK ▁rail ▁safety . An ▁exception ally ▁fright ful ▁.. [ acc ident ] .. ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁passing ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁Reg ulation ▁Act , ▁two ▁features ▁of ▁which ▁were ▁notable . ▁First , ▁Parliament ▁r ushed ▁the ▁Bill ▁through ▁all ▁its ▁stages ▁at ▁an ▁exception ally ▁high ▁speed . ▁The ▁accident ▁itself ▁occurred ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁June ; ▁the ▁act ▁went ▁into ▁force ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁August . ▁And ▁second ly , ▁here ▁at ▁last ▁the ▁government ▁accepted ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁dict ating ▁methods ▁of ▁operation ▁to ▁the ▁companies , ▁requiring ▁all ▁lines ▁carrying ▁passenger ▁trains ▁to ▁be ▁worked ▁on ▁the ▁block ▁system ▁and ▁all ▁such ▁trains ▁to ▁be ▁fitted ▁with ▁instant ane ously ▁working ▁continuous ▁bra kes , ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trade ▁being ▁author ised ▁to ▁fix ▁time ▁limits ▁for ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁work ▁ ▁With ▁an ▁ill ▁grace ▁and ▁some ▁sh uff ling , ▁the ▁companies ▁implemented ▁the ▁Act . ▁As ▁soon ▁as ▁they ▁had ▁done ▁so , ▁serious ▁acc idents ▁caused ▁by ▁in ade qu ate ▁bra king ▁ceased ▁in ▁Britain … Here ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁striking ▁example ▁of ▁the ▁direct ▁inter vention ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁in