▁had ▁been ▁refused ▁by ▁the ▁station ▁master , ▁as ▁none ▁were ▁available ; ▁the ▁driver ▁( in ▁supp lement ary ▁evidence ▁given ▁" through ▁the ▁railway ▁company ' s ▁officers ") ▁denied ▁this . ▁The ▁station ▁master ' s ▁evidence ▁was ▁that ▁the ▁discussion ▁was ▁about ▁adding ▁further ▁carri ages ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 5 ▁with ▁which ▁the ▁locomot ive ▁had ▁arrived . ▁ ▁The ▁general ▁manager ' s ▁chief ▁cl erk ▁was ▁to ▁accomp any ▁the ▁exc urs ion ; ▁he ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁engine ▁of ▁the ▁routine ▁train ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁following ▁twenty ▁minutes ▁behind ▁could ▁assist ▁the ▁exc urs ion ▁up ▁the ▁bank ▁( or ▁that ▁some ▁carri ages ▁could ▁be ▁left ▁to ▁come ▁on ▁with ▁the ▁routine ▁train ). ▁Following ▁his ▁conversation ▁with ▁the ▁station ▁master , ▁however , ▁the ▁driver ▁refused ▁the ▁assistance . ▁ ▁The ▁train ▁therefore ▁set ▁off ▁with ▁fifteen ▁carri ages , ▁containing ▁about ▁ 9 4 0 ▁passengers . ▁The ▁carri ages ▁were ▁full , ▁and ▁some ▁passengers ▁travel led ▁with ▁the ▁gu ards . ▁T ick ets ▁were ▁checked ▁before ▁setting ▁off ▁and ▁to ▁prevent ▁people ▁without ▁tick ets ▁joining ▁the ▁exc urs ion , ▁once ▁each ▁compart ment ▁had ▁been ▁checked ▁its ▁doors ▁were ▁locked . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁train ▁made ▁progress ▁up ▁the ▁ste ep ▁gradient ▁at ▁about ▁ ▁but ▁st alled ▁about ▁ ▁before ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁gradient . ▁ ▁D ivid ing ▁the ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁ ▁To ▁prevent ▁the ▁train ▁rolling ▁back , ▁the