TRAIN DERAILMENT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 4, 30 September 1943, Page 6

TRAIN DERAILMENT

Carriage - Of Limited Express

MISHAP NEAR PORIRUA The derailment of the front bogie of the Alinisterial carriage, which was being returned empty to AVellington from the north immediately behind the locomotive, of yesterday morning’s southbound Limited Express, disrupted traffic on the Main Trunk line south of Forirua yesterday morning. The derailment,, which was unattended by injury to any of the passengers or train crew, followed the breaking of a rubber-covered steam connexion, which is thought to have fallen beneath the wheels of the carriage. The mishap occured shortly after the express had passed through I’orirua station. and it was some time before the derailment was noticed and the train stopped. In the meantime the derailed carriage had crossed the bridge over the Borirua stream. As it approached the stream, judging by the marks on the sleepers, the wheels were about 12 inches from the rails, but the guard rails, present on all bridges between the main set of rails, did their work properly, and the wheels were dragged back tiii they were almost touching the spikes holding the rails in place. The distance run by the train before it was pulled up. about three-quarters of a mile, is probably explained by the fact that the carriage was empty. It would not be noticed from the locomotive unless ' the driver or fireman glanced back, and those in the carriages behind noticed little out of the ordinary. The train was running at normal speed over that portion of its journey when the mishap occurred.

The road motor services were called into use to bring the stranded passengers into town, and also to tranship passengers of the northbound New Plymouth express and the southbound “Field’s” express, between Tawa Flat and Porirua stations.

The line was clear and in running order in plenty of time for the northbound afternoon express to pass.