"TIGHT" SCHEDULE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 283, 28 November 1940, Page 11

"TIGHT" SCHEDULE.

FRANKTON-PAERATA.

EVIDENCE OF DRIVER

That the timetable schedule between Frank ton and Paerata, which is 011 the Auckland side of Mercer, was "tight and that a driver taking over would know he would have to "keep at it" to maintain the schedule was the opinion expressed by Thomas John Ching, an engine driver of just over 30 years' experience, when giving evidence at yesterday's sitting of the board of inquiryset up to investigate the derailment of the north-bound Limited express near Mercer 011 October 28. when the driver and fireman were killed and 21 passengers injured. The personnel of the board is Sir Francis Frazer (chairman). Professor S. E. Lamb, of Auckland, and Mr. F. W. Furkert, of Wellington. Mr. Ching said that on October 28 he was driving a race special from Auckland to Cambridge. He arrived at Mercer at 9.16 a.m. and at the request of Sergeant Kelly inspected the overturned engine. The steam was shut off and the brakes released. K Engines Rougher. To Mr. G. I*. Finlay, who is representing the Enginedrivers, Firemen and Cleaners' Association, witness said lie had driven the Limited express and knew the timetable was "tight" between Frankton and Paerata. That was generally understood and about the dej>ot one heard now and again discussions about it. To Mr. Finlay lie said that tile K. engines were decidedly more rough-riding than the A B.'s or other'engines. And if there is any -lack between the engine and the tender, it is rougher still ?—Yes. Do you find from experience that the roughness has a tendency to defeat the driver's estimation of the speed?— Yes. At times it gives an impression he is going very fast when lie is not going fast at all. Witness said he would like to see the radius-curve boards placed further back, sufficiently to check speed before the train reached the curve. Engines of the A.B. type took curves better than the K engines. In answer to another question lie said lie would like to see an increase in the time for the journey between Frankton and Auckland, especially between Frankton and Paerata. Harold Walter Richards, a train examiner stationed at Frankton, said that all couplings, hoses and brakes were in good order when the express left Frankton. A detailed table showing ' mparisons between the -|«>ed and num. : times of express trains between station and station 011 the run from Frankton tc Mercer and those of the derailed Limited express was produced by Charles Henry McLeod Hawk, an assistant engineer on the -taff of the district engineer nt .Auckland. "It will 1« seen.' he :-aid. "that the speed of train liS" 1 was kept within rea-omiMe limitr. as fai a- Xgaruavvalii;:. I* r.>m there, however s|>eed was generally con-iderably increased. and the average -p.-ed attained a maximum of tin miles an lioui between Huntly and Ohinewai. High Speed Shown. "Thence to the point of derailment though the actual speed average dropped, it was still maintained at a much higher figure than the average speeds calculated from minimum runnim times, allowing a maximum speed of .">( miles an hour, with adjustments foi curves and grades, as well as permanent and temporary s|>eed restrictions it force on October 28. Over the whole run from Xgaruawahia to the point ol derailment, also, the actual average speed maintained by Xo. 688 on Oetobei 28 has been worked out and found t< be much higher than the corresponding average speed of trains over this stretcl of line, calculated on the 50 miles at hour basis already mentioned." To-day's proceedings appear or another page.