TRAIN DERAILED IN N.S.W.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20905, 12 July 1933, Page 9

TRAIN DERAILED IN N.S.W.

FIVE INJURED. PASSENGERS' NARROW ESCAPE. (Received July 11. 7.15 p.m.) SYDNEY. Jify 11. The engine of Wag>?a express was derailed half a mile from the Bowning station, 10 miles from Yass. with its tender. The engine ploughed along for 50 yards before it came to a standstill. The first carriage, a sleeper, was badly smashed, the next car was overturned, and the other six, which were derailed, hung precariously over an embankment. There were about 200 passengers on the train. Five were injured. They are: Mr Ernest Hewish, believed to be from Sydney, fractured skull and collar-bone; William Dodd, of Greenwich; John Davidson, of Leeton; Ronald Rudder, of Manly, and a Mr Dwyer. They were all treated at the Yass Hospital, but Mr Hewish is the only serious case.

The railway traffic manager, Mr Denniss, and Mr J. Howse, of the traffic branch, who were passengers in the wrecked sleeper, were going to attend a conference at Leeton. Helpers soon arrived, and relief gangs were organised. A search was made for any other possible injured passengers. The Melbourne express, bound for Sydney, passed the scene a few minutes after the derailment, and stopped to see if help were neededTiie passengers say it was a miracle that all the occupants of the first and second carriages were not killed or gravely injured, considering the severe damage done to the carriages. One passenger was thrown from an upper bunk through a window to the permanent way. The derailment was caused by a broken switch rail at the points causing the engine to leave the rails and tear up the permanent way for a considerable distance.