DERAILMENT AVERTED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 182, 30 April 1936, Page 16

DERAILMENT AVERTED

Concrete .Posts on Tram Track WANGANUI LARRIKINISM . Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, April 29. A serious derailment of the Castle-cliff-city tram was luckily averted last night, when some person or persons at present unknown placed three concrete posts across the tram tracks at intervals. The tram, with four passengers inside, struck one post hard, but did not leave the rails. According to Motorman Ahearn, the tram left Castlecliff at 10.56 p.m., and when travelling at a fair speed along the Puriri flat, near Bennett Street, it struck a concrete post on the track with considerable force. The post bore the letters “F.H.” on one side, was about four feet in length and a foot thick, and was one of the type used by the city fire department for the location of fire plugs. “It was lucky,” he said, “that the car did not jump the rails. All the passengers received a severe jolting.” He removed the obstacle,’ and about 50 yards further along the track the car struck another similar post placed across one rail. The tram was travelling slowly, however, and nothing serious happened. A few yards further on the motorman saw a third post, but being on the look-out he stopped before the tram touched it. The posts, which are heavy, were embedded about half their length in the ground at various intervals, but would not require a great amount of effort to pull them out. The police are investigating the matter, which is believed to have been done by larrikins.