Holmes had been awake for over 36 hours and was extremely distressed, having ministered to the child, walked miles to try and find the local doctor (who was away from home attending to another patient) and comforted his distraught wife.

[4] Forced to complete his shift, Holmes called at the Otterington signal box before walking to Manor House and asked the signalman there, Henry Eden, to notify him when the passenger train from York arrived at 8:58 pm; Holmes was expecting his mother to arrive by that service, having telegraphed asking for her to come and tend to his wife as he worked.

After the first portion of the express had passed Northallerton North the signalman there allowed a goods train from Middlesbrough to Starbeck up the main line after it.

Henry Eden at the Otterington signal box warned him to be ready for the second part of the express, and Holmes saw that his instruments still indicated that there was a train on the line.

[6] Men employed to clear the crash site and repair the permanent way reported finding calcined bones and lumps of flesh.

[13] Although Manor House was a heavily used part of what was to become known as the East Coast Main Line, the need for such aids to safety there would have been regarded as low; there were no junctions, sidings or crossovers to confuse movement, and the block was one of the shortest and straightest in the country.

[7] Board of Trade Inspecting Officer Francis Marindin also noted that the many casualties were as a result of the lighter carriages being marshalled between the engine and the heavier Pullman coach behind them.