RATANA TRAIN SMASH

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 237, 4 July 1938, Page 3

RATANA TRAIN SMASH

Engine And Carriages To Be Repaired Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, July 2. ■With the concluiou of the hearing in the Ratana train smash inquiry, a start has been made with the repairing of the locomotive and carriages damaged In the accident. The carriages will be repaired at the East Town railway workshops; the locomotive is to be taken to Wellington, where the special equipment at the Hutt railway workshops will facilitate the work. Seven- carriages were dnmaged In the accident, but three of these were repaired immediately and put into use. The other four, it. which the passengers were killed an'd injured, were sent to the East Town workshops and placed on a siding so that members of the board of inquiry could inspect them if necessary. The locomotive and tender were also sent to East Town. The locomotive, which is of the Ab design, has been- partly dismantled, and will be towed to Wellington next week. It was badly damaged in the accident, but it is not thought that there Will be any difficulty in repairing it. Work was started on the first of the carriages on Monday. The whole of one side has been taken out and will have to be rebuilt, and most of the undergear will be replaced. All of the four cars will require extensive repairs before they will lie fit for use again. In most cases it is only one side of the cur and the end platform that was wrecked.

Extra staff has been taken on at the workshops to carry out the work, which is expected to take several weeks.