SHEEP TRUCKS’ DERAILED

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28481, 10 January 1958, Page 9

SHEEP TRUCKS’ DERAILED

Railwayman Narrowly Escapes Death

(New Zealand Press Aiwoctattoni

MASTERTON, January 9. When 11 laden sheep trucks were derailed last night at Mauriceville, a railwayman narrowly escaped death and 148 sheep were killed. Shortly before 11 o’clock, as Mr George Boswell, who was on duty at Mauriceville station, was flagging the south-bound goods train before locking the points, he heard “a crunching noise.” He jumped back clear of the line and dropped his hand-lamp. In the next moment, the points box and his hand-lamp were squashed flat under a waggon. The derailment occurred at the points about a quarter of a mile south of the station.

Working through the night, a breakdown crew With a large mobile crane had the line cleared again by about 9.15 a.m. A fruit train from Hastings, which was to have gone through the Wairarapa, was diverted through the Manawatu. The only delays were to a goods train and the early-morning rail-car from Palmerston. North. Permanent railway staff, as soon as they had the line repaired, replaced the wrecked points. The points box was reduced to matchwood.