HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 7

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

, ' WERE eURNIHG 'CLEARLY. [ , DID THE BRAKES FAIL?" I 1 THEY PASS A SUBSEQUENT TEST. ; . i Melbourne, - April 21; ■ i It has been officially ' recorded tliat the I stationmastcr at Sunshiuo-says ha was the f only-ono on .dntjv - aj;^,the Station. Ho had i set the points for thp, Bpllarat train to come into' tho station, arfcl.the'points remained'set. [ in that way. • ■ "SIGNALS DISREGARDED." Tho 'statipnmastor adds that ho was busy , attending to tho despatch f -of • the., Baljarat t-vain, 1 ai\d 1 hacl not time to* l alter the 4 points', even if ho hail so desired. Consequently;, tjie points stood against tho Beridigo train)- tlio . driver of which disregarded the signals, with' tlio result that tho train ran over the'points' and smashed into t-ho Ballarat train. Driver. Milburn, \who was .on. tho cngino attached to the Bondigo train; stated that ■when ho noticed the signals against him tho "Westinghouse brake ro'fusetk' to act. Ho rcvorsotl tho engine;' but it-did riot respond immediately, and then the epllision occurred. ; . (Rec. April ,21, .lO.pS^p.m,. ,'. , - > Melbourne, April 21. . Mr. Tait, Chief Commissioner, of Railways, interviewed,, stated that all' tlio signals and points at 'Sunshine nero interlocked, i: arid tho trains were .working on tho block system. ■ There . appears to bo\ho ! signals- wei;e against ' the . Beridigo train. This is shown by the fact of the through points breaking. MILBURN'S STORY, Mr. Tait states that Milbiinv '-dnpor' of tho leading engine of tho Bendigo train,,. claims that when he saw tho distant signal at "caution" ho applied tho brakos, intend- - iiig to stop the train at tho home signal if, . on reaching it, he found it standing at danger. Milburn also states that whonilio'saw .i that the homo signal was not clear ho ap- ' , plied tho brakes, -but they, failed to act, hrid ] tho collision occurred. ; -- ; ■ Shortly after the accid'erit the brakes' were i tested, and disclosed ample braking , power, - and the brakes aro in good order. The < guard of tho Bendigo train\states that tho j brakes worked satisfactorily. , ' 1 Mr. Tait added that tlio'night was clear, , and the signals wero burning properly. As j tho Bendigo line is straight for moro than C throo miles west of Sunshine, and c-hero 1 aro no obstructions, the engincmai) of U,p ® approaching train should liayo had a clear g view of the signals. J] Toiulors are invited by Mr. C. B. Livesay for tlio erection of three tramway shelters at Soatomi, and Mirnmar. ■ The.Scatou'n shelters , will bo cased in fine shingle concrete, and for i' further protection against pocket knives, oiled -.' jarrah will bo used in their construction. They will have seating accommodation for sixty, people. (] Messrs. .T. 11. Bcthune and Co. announce that fi commissioned by Mrs. Wilkins, who is, leaving h Wellington immediately, to sell by public, auc- w (ion, 10-'iiorrow, at her' residonce, Crescent r< lioail, Rosonenth, Oriental Bay, • tlio whole of el tho furnishings of a well-appointed seven- p; roomed housa. w