Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 05 April 1922

Albert Batty, a Wath railway linesman, whose home was at Junction View, Audenshaw, near Manchester, was found dead on the permanent way of the Great Central Railway at Wath, yesterday, with the left leg and right foot amputated.

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 06 April 1922

Railway Linesman’s Death at Wath.

After hearing the evidence at an inquest held yesterday at Wath-on-Dearne on Albert Battey (35), a . railway linesman, who was found dead on the Great Central line at Wath, on Tuesday, the Coroner (Mr. J. Kenyon Parker) suggested to representatives of the railway company and the Railwaymen’s Union present at the inquiry that an adjournment might be considered desirable.

Informed that no one desired an adjournment, he said in that case his verdict must be more or less an open one. It was that the man’s death was due to multiple injuries, with no definite evidence as to how they were caused, but in his own opinion, the injuries were accidentally sustained by being knocked down by a train or engine when deceased was walking along the line to his hut.

It was stated that Battey, whose home was at Audenshaw, near Manchester, had been 10 years in the company’s service and had lived alone for the past six weeks in their hut referred to at the side of the line. His left leg was severed from the body at the middle of the thigh, part of his right root was cut off, and there was a small bruise on the right side of his forehead.

George Bucksworthy, an assistant linesman, stated that on Monday night deceased left him at Mexborough saying he was going to get on a trackless car, which would carry him only as far as Manvers Arches.