I love the internet....
From the following site:
http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_edin_t/0_ ... cident.htm
From:
Christopher Hogan
Hon Editor, Post Office Vehicle Club
The Post Office Van
'A fascinating photograph! Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
The van is OXN 81 (GPO serial number 50120), part of a batch of 680 Morris Minor mailvans registered NYH 498-999 and OXN 1-178. They were registered on 22nd April 1954 but delivery extended through 1954 and into early 1955.
We hold the GPO records for most mailvans from 1950 to 1985; the card for OXN 81 is missing suggesting that something "happened to it". We also hold the licensing sheets (GPO vans didn't have individual road fund licences but carried Crown Exemption Certificates) for most mailvans - this lists London County Council as having been advised of sale or break-up of OXN 81 on 8th December 1958. This date is much earlier than normal withdrawal of these vans - they generally lasted until 1963 or 1964.
The record card for a later Morris Minor - UXH 285 new on 16th October 1958 shows it to have replaced 50120 (accident). UXH 285 was based at Dalkeith in Head Postmaster Edinburgh's area with the van maintained at Carlton Road in Edinburgh.
Location and Date
The GPO did use rail transport for the movement of its vans certainly until the early 1960s but that would only be for long distances such as delivery from Birmingham or possibly for repair at one of its repair depots.
The picture doesn't show either of the types of truck used for such movements (Lowfits or Lowmacs) and I think we can discount the possibility that the mailvan was being transported anywhere by rail. (It would have travelled into the local workshop at Carlton Road, Edinburgh for inspection, servicing and maintenance).
By a process of elimination, it looks as though there was a mishap at one of the freight yards in the Dalkeith area in which the mailvan got hit by the derailed rake of trucks sometime just before 16th October 1958.'
And the mystery solved
'This accident occurred shortly before 8am on Oct 8, 1958, at a level crossing connecting a farm road with Smeaton Colliery, Dalkeith. Dalkeith is about seven miles SE of Edinburgh.
Report in the Press
Below is the Evening Dispatch report of the accident. The Edinburgh Evening News Oct 8 and Scotsman Oct 9, also carried brief reports of the accident.
VAN DRIVER IN CRASH ESCAPES BY 'A MIRACLE'
A Post Office driver was trapped in the cabin of his van and dragged along upside down for 150 feet after collision with waggons near Dalkeith today.
Three of the waggons were derailed and the van ended up across the rails on its roof, a total wreck. But the driver, George Harrison escaped with only minor bruises and shock.
"It was a miracle" said colliery worker, William J Brown who was one of the first on the scene.
The accident happened shortly before 8am on a level crossing connecting a farm road with Smeaton Colliery, Dalkeith. The van was delivering mail to the colliery's preparation plant. As it went over the crossing it was caught by waggons which wee being shunted.
At the side of the railway, workers in the colliery smithy stood watching the smithy operations. Then 17-year old Thomas Dixon, 25 Dean Town Avenue, Dalkeith shouted "There's an accident."
TRAPPED IN CABIN
The men rushed up the embankment and found Harrison trapped in his cabin. Said Mr Brown of Whitecraigs Gardens, Dalkeith: "His right trouser leg was ripped and his left foot was jammed. We freed it and he climbed out himself."
"His first concern was for the mail. He actually ran about collecting the scattered mail and packages and refused to go to the first aid centre for treatment until the last package was found."
As the workers tried to release the van driver, Brown handed over a knife to cut a boot from Harrison's foot but they managed to treat him without it. Harrison, after treatment at the first aid centre was allowed home.
Evening Dispatch: October 8, 1958, p.1
On page 8 of the Evening Dispatch on October 8 there was a photograph of the accident, not so dramatic as the photograph above.
The caption read: A post office driver escaped with minor injuries after his van had been hit and dragged 150 feet by rail waggons at Dalkeith today.
Front Page of the Paper
The Evening Dispatch usually published photos of accidents on its front page.
However on October 8, its page 1, headline and photo, related to a report in the Italian paper 'Il Tempo' - headline: "PIO XII E MORTO".
In fact this report of the Pope's death was a little premature and the Italian papers carrying the news were later seized by the police. The Pope died the following day, October 9, 1958.
