Power Failure Blacks Out Railway Station

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27369, 7 June 1954, Page 8

Power Failure Blacks Out Railway Station

An electrical sub-station failure ‘in the Christchurch railway yards plunged most of the station buildings into darkness last evening and blacked out signals from Heathcote to Dunsandel. Lyttelton services were delayed for three-quarters of an hour and the midnight express south Was boarded in the light of hurricane lamps and had to run at the driver’s discretion until it reached Dunsandel.

Up till late last evening it yras not known when the fault would be repaired. About 6 p.m. a spectacular yellow flash, diffused through the misty rain, arrested the attention of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists for a considerable radius round the sub-station, which is behind the hoardings at the corner of Colombo and Carlyle streets. A serviceman said the flash was greater than that of 501 b of gelignite he had seen explode in Auckland, but he heard no noise from the sub-sta-tion. The Christchurch Fire Brigade was called at 6.24 p.m. from a street alarm box, and units frojn the headquarters and Sydenham stations put out a fire burning in the roof of the sub-station. Railway electricians then took charge. The sub-station is reported to be fed by an 11,000-volt cable. Except for the tower lights and a few others, the station platform, offices

and yards were in darkness. Although the Lyttelton line is believed to have had power for the electric trains they could not operate until emergency signalling arrangements were completed. The south’ line signals to Dunsandel are all electrical and cannot be operated manually, according to a signals officer. In the event of a breakdown telegrams are sent to engine-drivers advising caution, especially at level crossings, and intermediate stations are also informed. The New Zealand indoor bowls championships, in progress in the B goods shed on the west side of Colombo jtreet,. were hurriedly transferred to the Carlyle street hall when the goods shed lights went out. Station and train running staff went about their duties with hand lamps throughout the .evening. Hurricane lamps—one in the ticket office, one in the luggage department, one for pillow sales and three on the bookstall—were the only lights on the station when passengers began to assemble for the midnight express to the south. Because of the upset in the railway yards the train had pulled into the station at its usual departure time, about 11 p.m. The lights of a small tractor on the platform illuminated the loading of luggage, and the train pulled out at 11.20 p.m.