QUICK CLEARANCE AVERTS BIG DELAY ON MAIN LINE

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32522, 4 February 1971, Page 1

QUICK CLEARANCE AVERTS BIG DELAY ON MAIN LINE

Railway gangs using cranes and heavy moving machinery cleared a derailed train from the line at the Styx overbridge yesterday afternoon in less than half the time expected.

A Picton-bound goods train came off the rails outside the Styx siding about 8.15 a.m., tipping over 20 of the 27 waggons. By 6 p.m. the line was reopened and northern traffic was flowing again with only slight delays. The waggons had to be removed from a quarter-mile stretch of line, and more than 20 yards of track replaced. A hoppbr from one waggon broke free and skidded along the track to within feet of the small Styx station. The extent of the damage was not known last evening, but some waggons and trucks were beyond repair. The freight carried by most was undamaged and the locomotive also wAs not damaged. It was later driven to the Belfast station. No-one was injured. It is understood that a

waggon came off the rails near Northcote Road, about a mile south of the accident, and was dragged behind the train until it caught on the points at the siding, toppling

the other waggons and trucks.

The clearing of the toppled waggons and trucks was expected to take about 24 hours, which would have blocked north-bound traffic completely. The time*table was revised and alternative transport for passengers was arranged. Those on the 9.25 a.m. rail-car to Picton were taken by bus to Kaikoura, where they transferred to a train to the destination.

about 4.30 p.m. Unexpected problems caused further delays, but the line was cleared by 6 p.m. To save passengers on the 5.10 p.m. trairi to Rangiora facing the delay, Road Services buses were used instead.

Passengers on later trains would have had to be taken all the way to Picton by bus. By mid-afternoon, how-: ever, it became apparent that the line would be cleared much earlier probably

The department’s senior train running officer (Mr R. Buchanan) said that the derailment caused only slight delays to some afternoon goods services.