RAILWAY SHED DESTROYED

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13645, 31 January 1910, Page 8

RAILWAY SHED DESTROYED

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WESTPORT, January ZQ. A sensational fire occurred at Westport shortly before 5 o'clock this morning, and the Government engine shads, 130 ft hy 3oft, in -vvhaoh \\erc lodged seven ongin«9 (three AVBS, one FA, two OS, and one FJ, used in the carriage of coal from the mines in the Weetport district, -were totally destroyed My fire. The engines -were brought out considerably damaged. All hands in the railway workshops were immediately summoned, and got to work at once making temporary repairs, and urgent telegrams were sent to Wellington for more men. A small engine kept in the workshops for repairs was immediately despatched to Stockton ■with empties and to get the loan of a pressure gauge and other parts from Granity and from the Westport Coal Company. So completely was the work organised and carried out that the •works foreman has been enabled to get six of the seven damaged engines temporarily repaired and painted and under steam, and the Traffic Manager now announces that ordinary traffic will bo resumed to-morrow with the assistance of two engines borrowed from the Westport Harbour Board. The engine-shed is indirectly the property of the Harbour Board, who have as port of their endowment the nett earnings of the railway. It is insured by the Railway Department, hut the amount of insurance is not available here.