 He told the inquiry he was busy stopping a train of empty coal wagons on the down line, and because of the weather he did not hear the express until it ran past his cabin at full speed.At 6.44 the Scotsman reached Abbots Ripton, its driver having seen ""nothing but white lights all the way from Peterboro"".It was at full speed (40–45 mph) when it crashed into the coal train, which had not yet cleared the main line.