▁probability ▁have ▁been ▁prevent ed ▁had ▁the ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁been ▁fitted ▁with ▁an ▁automatic ▁continuous ▁bra ke ▁instead ▁of ▁( as ▁it ▁was ) ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁non - autom atic ▁continuous ▁bra ke . ▁In ▁the ▁former ▁case , ▁on ▁the ▁div iding ▁of ▁the ▁train ▁taking ▁place , ▁the ▁bra ke ▁would ▁have ▁remained ▁on , ▁or ▁( had ▁it ▁been ▁previously ▁taken ▁off ) ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁at ▁once ▁applied ▁to , ▁the ▁rear ▁vehicles , ▁and ▁these ▁would ▁have ▁remained ▁imm ov able , ▁not with standing ▁any ▁possible ▁b ump ▁they ▁might ▁have ▁received ▁from ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁train , ▁when ▁the ▁driver ▁was ▁setting ▁back ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁start . ▁ ▁It ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁remarked ▁that ▁the ▁ordinary ▁train ▁had ▁a ▁narrow ▁escape ▁from ▁serious ▁collision ▁between ▁the ▁port ions ▁into ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁divided , ▁or ▁with ▁buffer ▁stops ; ▁whereas ▁had ▁it ▁been ▁supplied ▁with ▁an ▁automatic ▁bra ke , ▁there ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁no ▁risk ▁of ▁such ▁coll isions . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trade ▁has ▁stated ▁in ▁Parliament ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁introduce ▁a ▁Bill ▁to ▁make ▁comp uls ory ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁automatic ▁continuous ▁bra kes , ▁should ▁the ▁report ▁on ▁this ▁collision ▁point ▁out ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁avoided ▁had ▁the ▁exc urs ion ▁train ▁been ▁fitted ▁with ▁them , ▁it ▁is ▁unnecessary ▁for ▁me ▁to ▁say ▁more ▁upon ▁the ▁subject . ▁ ▁Reg ul atory ▁background ▁For ▁many ▁years ▁the ▁Railway