CROSSING ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

CROSSING ACCIDENT

Auckland Man and Wife in Hospital By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, April 15. Thrown on to the road through the door of their motor-car when it was involved in a collision with the afternoon passenger train to Whangarei, a man and his wife were seriously injured at a level crossing in Avondale. Both occupants, William Joughin, aged 56. residing at Mount Eden, and Mrs. Joughin, aged 45, suffered head injuries, concussion and shock. When proceeding tip the steep grade in the direction of tlie city, the car apparently struck the carriage immediately following the locomotive. The vehicle was dragged about 15 yards before it came to rest in an upright position several yards clear of the railway track. There were apparently no eye-witnesses to the collision, but residents who were attracted to the scene by the noise of the impact found Mr. and Mrs. Joughin lying some distance from the car. They appeared to have been fluug from tlie vehicle when the left-hand door was carried away. Less than a week ago a system of wig-wag signals which had been installed at the crossing for some years was replaced by red flashing lights acting in conjunction with a warning bell. Residents who use the road regularly alleged that, in the strong sunlight the signals were indistinguishable, and, with tlie sound of the bell counteracted by the noise of the approaching train, the system operated efliciently only in darkness. Mr. and Mrs. Joughin were removed to the Auckland Hospital.