MISHAP TO EXPRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 15, 19 January 1933, Page 11

MISHAP TO EXPRESS

ACCIDENT NEAR SHANNON

DAMAGE TO CARRIAGES

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "'The Evening Post.") PALMERSTON N., This Day. The Palmerston North railway station was very busy at noon yesterday as the result of a serious mishap to the Wellington-Napier express near Shannon at 11.45 o'clock in the morning. The express was approaching Shannon station at a very fast speed, as is usual, and the sequence of events showed that the passengers had a very narrow escape from serious injury. ; The vibration of the engine—one of the big AB class-—had evidently loosened one of the largo springs in the undergear, for it dropped on to the line and passed under the engine. The tensile nature of it caused it to bounce considerably, and the : first four carriages of the train passed over it. -This caused serious damage to the undergear of these carriages and the spring became flattened in the course of its rough treatment. The train was brought to a standstill as soon as possible. An inspection showed that the engine and four carriages were not in a condition to continue far on their journey. The train was taken to Shannon, however,-and there the passengers in the damaged carriages were transferred to the other two which, with the van were connected to the Wellington-New Plymouth express. The dual train arrived at Palmerston North about 1 o'clock where.it was again divided and four carriages added to the Napier express from the complement in the local yard. .

It was stated, on'the arrival of the train at Palmerston North, that tho passengers had a, narrow escape as the bouncing spring might'easily have been thrown on to a rail during the time it was under the carriages as there is only a very narrow space between the lines in which it had free play. Had it passed under a wheel the consequences might have led to a derailment.