Would a child being hit by a train be an "official" railway accident ? ie would it have to be investigated by the railway inspectorate.

Hi Michelle - I did not find any reference to the accident on Google. But if you click on Google Maps on the menu bar and then enter Poole Park you will get a map and see the course of the railway curving round at bottom of Boating Lake. You could also get directions from Poole Park to Salterns Marina to improve your local geography.
If you are really keen, there is a good article "Steam Days at Poole" in the January 2013 issue of Steam Days magazine, dealing with local railway history/geography/operations. Visit the Steam Days magazine web site and you could buy the January issue - normally they have back numbers for sale.
Good luck - Edward

I cannot see anything for Poole within that timescale on this website.
There is an accident in 1877 though.
http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/index.php

Hello Mrs G
I recently cycled on the trackbed a line originally from Brocklehurst to Hamworthy (just west of Poole) which went via Ringwood, West Moors, Wimborne Minster Broadsteon to Hamworthy. It was known as "Castleman's Corkscrew" after Charles Castleman, a Wimborne solicitor, and opened in 1847 as the Southampton & Dorchester railway company. It was built long before the route via Bournemouth & Poole
closing in the 1960's.
I realise this is no help in your enquiries but thought it was background information. I hope you make some progress with your research.
Chris Dent

Welcome to the forum, dear Michelle.