dˈuː tʊ ɐ sˈɪɹiz ʌv ˈɛɹɚz pɹaɪmˈɛɹᵻli, ðə tˈɛlᵻɡɹˌæf klˈɜːk sˈɛndɪŋ ðɪ ˌɔːθɚɹəzˈeɪʃən mˈɛsɪdʒ bᵻfˌoːɹ ɪt hɐdbɪn sˈaɪnd baɪ ðɪ ɐpɹˈoʊpɹɪət əfˈɪʃəl, bˈoʊθ dɹˈaɪvɚz ɹᵻsˈiːvd ðɛɹ ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾi, ænd ˈæŋʃəs tə mˌeɪk ˌʌp fɔːɹ lˈɔst tˈaɪm, sˈɛt ˈɔf æt spˈiːd ɐlˈɔŋ ðə sˈɪŋɡəl tɹˈæk.
Due to a series of errors (primarily, the telegraph clerk sending the authorisation message before it had been signed by the appropriate official), both drivers received their authority, and anxious to make up for lost time, set off at speed along the single track.