DRIVERLESS TRAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 245, 30 July 1935, Page 5

DRIVERLESS TRAIN

ENGINEMEN GASSED i DEADLY FUMES IN A TUNNEL. CRASH INTO SAMSON POST. TOPPLING DOWN A BANK. ENGINE AND ELEVEN TRUCKS. (Per Press Association). TAUMARUNUI, This Day. An unusual railway accident occurred at 2 o’clock this morning. A goods train from Tiauniarunui was passing through Porootarao Tunnel when the driver (Mr Westneath) and the fireman (Mr J. Reedy) were gassed by fumes and rendered unconscious. The train emerged from the tunnel without a driver, and went on to a side line, crashing into the Samson post and turned over down the bank. As well as the engine, 11 trucks were derailed.

No one was injured, but the driver and fireman were taken to Taumarunui for medical attention. They are still suffering slightly from the effects of fumes.

The train was switched to the side line to enable a train from the north to pass, otherwise it would have proceeded along the Main Trunk line with perhaps worse results. Traffic was delayed four hours, the line being cleared at 6 o’clock. The first express from Wellington had a four hours’ wait at Waimiha, and the Limited from Wellington one of an hour at Taumarunui and an hour at Waimiha.

MUCH LIVE-STOCK KILLED;

FOURTEEN WAGGONS DERAILED.

TAUMARUNUI, This Day

Later details of the railway accident show that 14 waggons were .derailed with the engine. Twenty-five waggons and the guard’s van remained on the line. : ; *■’■**’

When the guard ..went forward 1 he found the engine wheels spinning and the throttle still open. ! ~

Passengers who were in the guard’s van, in charge of live-stock in the trucks, assisted the guard to lift the driver and fireman from the cab of the engine. In the fresh air the two men soon recovered 1 . A down-coming goods train . arrived five minutes after the derailment;

It is reported that a large number of live-stock were killed. Three truckloads of live-stock from Taumarunui, behind the engine, were all mangled*

On arrival at Taumarunui the driver and fireman were able to walk to the ambulance. ' ‘ •