SOUTHBOUND EXPRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 118, 20 May 1937, Page 10

SOUTHBOUND EXPRESS

FAILURE OF AXLE

CARRIAGES DERAILED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, May 19.

... Disaster -nearly overtook the 3 p.m. ■■ southbound express from Auckland -'this afternoon as the result of a ' derailment which occurred at 4.30 ..p.m. at the Whangamarino Bridge, one rflile and a half south of Mercer. No one was injured, but there was serious .. dislocation in the railway service. The express had passed through Mercer and was travelling at high speed. Just before the bridge which .spans the Whangamarino stream was .reached the axle of a wheel on the rear bogie of a ladies' carriage, four carriages behind the engine, snapped. •The bogie was derailed, and after the 'car had passed the bridge one wheel and ■ part of the axle became detached . and fell between the rails, having in j the meantime ripped up the track and •-damaged the bridge/When it fell onto the "track it caused the derailment of one car-and partially derailed a day car. .and the sleeping car. The three carriages ' immediately behind the engine were' not affected, and the postal van at the rear of the train also .kept to the rails. _ When the train came to a standstill the guard's van was partly on the bridge, while the postal van was actually on th"3 structure. Passengers were considerably shaken by the bumping of the train, but no injuries occurred. Officials in the postal van had to clamber on to the top of the vehicle and walk along the top of the guard's van to get clear, there being no room on the bridge for them to ■ -walk. After' a delay o,f two hours passengers were crowded into the three car-.-.riages in the front of' the train and were taken to ■ Frankton' Junction, where additional carriages were assembled. The express left Frankton Junctio.. for Wellington at 7.40 p.m., ■a little over two hours behind time. The mail van was taken back to Mer,.cer and the contents were sent south by the second express. ARDUOUS REPAIR WORK. Immediately the accident was reported, Mr. C. M. Todd, stationmaster ; a t Mercer, and his staff did all possible to deal with the emergency. Gangs of platelayers and permanent-way men were organised, and in a s,bort time 'about 50 men were employed in removing the obstructed axle, righting' the guard's van, and repairing the ' bridge. A breakdown train with a 40- ---' ton crane arrived at Mercer at 8.30 ' p.m., and, after coaling, proceeded to the scene of the accident. It was expected, however, that several hours would elapse before the derailed vehicles would be placed back on the rails and the track would be repaired and cleared. The men were working in a very cramped position, for on either side of the single-lined track there was a steep embankment leading to the Whangamarino Swamp, which, owing to the recent heavy rain, \was a wide and deep expanse of water. There'was no room in which to.lay * diversion track. ■ The section of the line between Frankton and Auckland was completely disorganised by the accident. The Taneatua-Auckland express, which'was running an hour late on account-of the condition of the line between-Paeroa -and Te Aroha.-was held up at le Kauwhata, and passengers and luggage were transferred by bus and truck to .Mercer, where a special train left at '& 40-. p.m. for Auckland, nearly three hours behind time. Other north-bound trains were held up at" either Huntly or Te Kauwhata, while south-bound drains were stopped at Mercer. Passengers and goods were transferred by r°The departure of the second southbound express, .due to leave Auckland at 7 p.m., was delayed until 11 p.m.