HORSE TRAIN IN COLLISION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19257, 12 March 1928, Page 8

HORSE TRAIN IN COLLISION.

WAGGONS OVER TURNED. MISHAP IN STATION YARD. TERRIFIED HORSES IMPRISONED [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, March 10. Several well-known racehorses, including Sir Archie, fresh from his victory in the Franklin Cup, narrowly escaped serious injury in the railway collision which occurred at Penrose Junction shortly before 9 o'clock on Saturday evening. Three waggons m a special race train brmging the horses back to Ellerslie from the Pukckohe Meeting were either derailed or overturned. One was empty, another was carrying three racehorses, and the tlurd was carrying four. The waggon carrying three horses was completely overturned. Two men, J. Stenning and J. D Kemp, who were travelling in the attendants' compartment, jumped cloar iust in time. There were frightened screams from the horses and the splintering of wood. It was over two hours before the carriages could be righted, and during this time the horses were kicking and struggling in frantic efforts to escape. Fortunately none were seriously injured. The two trains concerned in the collision were both northbound. The goods train bound from Papatoetoe to Auckland was coining back on the Main North line. At a point on the Auckland side of the station there were several empty trucks and unoccupied passenger ears, which were to be left at Penrose yards. The race special, with its carloads of valuable horses, entered the station slowly, and passed through. The goods train was backing into the yards. Both were moving slowly, but they met with a crash, and in an instant the station was a scene of confusion. At the end of the goods train was a passenger car. It was derailed by the collision, while the engine of the race special was slightly damaged.. Behind it was the empty horse waggon, the horses occupying it having been taken out at Otahuhu. It was completely derailed. Behind it a waggon containing three horses owned by F. T. Stenning (Sir Archie, Sir Henry, and Spalmore) was completely overturned, and lay across the line on its side. As it toppled' over it tore the rear buffer from the empty waggon ahead.

Mr J. Steunings was on the point of entering one of the compartments to place a halter on a horse when the collision came, and he jumped clear. Had he entered the compartment he would have been trapped with the horse, mad from terror, and his chances of escape would have been negligible. A third waggon was partially derailed. It contained four horses, three of which belonged to 'Mr J, Williamson. After the collision, attendants from the race train and station hands gathered round the scene, but it was realised ihat any attempt to rescue the imprisoned'horsed would be hopeless until the waggons were restored to the track. Mr W. J. M. Andrew was the. officer in charge at the station. He summoned the stationmaster, and particulars of the accident were communicated to Auckland. As it was Saturday night some difficulty was experienced in getting together a relief gang,' but a party of men arrived as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the owners and trainers' were almost' beside themselves ' with anxiety to ascertain whether their horses had been injured. Even .when the relief gang arrivefi and commenced operations there was a general hubbub. Suggestions Were shouted from all sides. There was the clank of metal against metal, and. the kicking and screams, of terror from the imprisoned animals. One of the primary considerations of the relief gang was to" clear a track for traffic, and with this end in view the derailed passenger car and waggon were righted and shunted into the Station yard. The waggons on the race special, which had escaped damage, were Bhutited back into the station, And the owners, frightened lest their horses might have been in the overturned waggon, were relieved to take delivery at Penrose, instead of at Ellerslie. When one line was clear, the attentions of the workmen were turned to the two waggons containing the imprisoned horses. It was shoftly before midnight when they were righted, and the frightened animals were unloaded on the spot. They were obviously still terrified,- and although none were seriously injured several had lost skin, and were badly bruised through their effbrts to kick their way clear from the overturned' trucks. The injuries to Sir Archie were the most serious. One of Mr Williamson's horses, Vallar, lost the skin from his hocks. None of the overturned or derailed waggons were badly damaged. Some were a little splintered, but those containing the horses were well padded. ,