▁( and ▁out ▁of ▁sight ) ▁would ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁train ▁could ▁pass ▁through ▁without ▁stopping . ▁ ▁The ▁posts ▁were ▁also ▁ill umin ated ▁to ▁allow ▁use ▁at ▁night . ▁ ▁Sign als ▁at ▁Acc r ington ▁station ▁were ▁more ▁complex , ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁station ▁building ▁with ▁w ires , ▁and ▁by ▁default ▁set ▁at ▁' stop ' ▁when ▁released . ▁ ▁The ▁col oured ▁lan tern s ▁used ▁as ▁port able ▁signals ▁were ▁painted ▁red ▁on ▁one ▁side ▁( stop ), ▁green ▁on ▁another ▁( go ▁slowly ), ▁and ▁clear ▁on ▁the ▁third ▁( pro ceed ). ▁ ▁Rails ▁ ▁The ▁line ▁was ▁standard ▁gauge ▁and ▁most ▁sections ▁used ▁rails ▁in ▁ ▁lengths , ▁each ▁we igh ing ▁ 7 5   lb / yard ▁( 3 1 . 1   kg / m ), ▁fixed ▁to ▁wooden ▁sleep ers ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁ ▁apart . ▁ ▁Acc idents ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁rail ways ▁acc idents ▁were ▁not ▁un common , ▁and ▁the ▁EL R ▁was ▁no ▁exception . ▁ ▁Several ▁inc idents ▁were ▁reported ▁in ▁The ▁Times . ▁During ▁Wh its unt ide ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁a ▁passenger ▁train ▁was ▁in ▁a ▁rear - end ▁collision ▁with ▁an ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁near ▁Burn ley , ▁Lanc ash ire . ▁Despite ▁efforts ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁passenger ▁train , ▁another ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁was ▁in ▁a ▁rear - end ▁collision ▁with ▁it . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 5