Traffic Slowed By Derailment

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32361, 29 July 1970, Page 32

Traffic Slowed By Derailment

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 28.

Suburban trains front South Auckland to the city tomorrow are not expected to be affected greatly by damage caused by a derailment north of Papakura at 5.30 aun. today.

Four waggons and the guard’s van of the Welling-ton-Auckland express goods train were derailed. The guard, Mr S. Kirkwood aged 47, of Marion Place, Glen Innes, suffered shock and bruises when the guard’s van toppled on to its side. After treatment at hospital he was allowed to go home. About a' quarter of a mile of the northbound section of the double tracks was badly damaged, but Railways Department officials expect this to be clear to trains by about noon tomorrow. A crane will later begin

lifting two of the waggons and the guard’s van back on to the tracks. Rail traffic through the damaged section was slowed considerably today. All trains used one set of undamaged tracks. Eighteen bags of secondclass mail and parcels were damaged in the derailment The mail had been posted in Wellington, Levin, Lower Hutt and London, and most of it was damaged by water. The Chief Postmaster in Auckland (Mr G. C. Hobson) said the damaged mail would be dried and rewrapped.