EXPRESS DELAYED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 127, 11 March 1939, Page 8

EXPRESS DELAYED.

DAMAGE TO CARRIAGES. NEARLY TWO HOURS LATE. (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, March 10. A mishap to the express from Invercargill, four miles from Christchurch, this evening caused the-steam-er express to be delayed two hours in its sailing for Wellington. Damage to the undergear of the tender of the engine and to the four following carriages brought the express to a sudden standstill between Sockburn and Middleton, and a further delay to the steamer train followed the discovery at Christchurch that the damage was more extensive than at first thought. Showers of small stones from the ballast of the permanent way gave passengers in the first four carriages of the express a signal that the speedy run of the express to Christchurch was likely to lie interrupted. At' a speed estimated by passengers to be- 50 miles an hour, the express, which was running to scheduled times, passed the Sockburn station wlien sprays oi metal on the windows and the undercarriage of the first, four carriages made the-, passengers apprehensive. The breakdown occurred at 7.20 and the express did not reach Christchurch until 9.22, nearly two hours late. The accident was caused by the spreader-bar on -the tender breaking. Tlk.' fractured casting did not fall off until the train was passing through Sockburn. The damaged part dragged along the permanent way causing (lamage also to the following carriages. When the first carriage was taken off its under-gear jammed, causing delay in hitching the engine to the rest ol the train.' which bad to go slowly to Christchurch. Train examiners then found thin four carriages were slightly damaged, ’and they had to be taken off he fore the train went on to Lyttelton,. Railway officials were, emphatic that a derailment was impossible.