TRAINS DELAYED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 151, 23 December 1938, Page 6

TRAINS DELAYED

SIGNAL BOX FIRE

FUSfNG OF CABLE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAWD, December 22.

An outbreak of 'fire in an automatic signal box almost. underneath; Gladstone Road overbridge- delayed the departure of two expresses for Wellington and temporarily suspended shunting operations in the Auckland railway yards tonight.. Though not extensive, the damage interfered with- the signalling and points system and temporary expedients had to be adopted before the trains could leave the platform.

The fire was noticed at 7 o'clock, 15 minutes before, the Limited express was scheduled to leave. With- holiday traffic nearing its height, hundreds of, people were awaiting the two trains' departure-, buii comparatively few were aware of the clouds of smoke rising from the signal box several1 hundred yards further- down the line. Members; of the yar.d staff. suppressed the outbreak before the arrival of three fire engines, from central and Parnell staitions.

Tlie' fusing' of a cable was the cause of the fire,.which placed a large por.tiotfc of the signalling system out of: commission.. Some of the instruments in the box were disabled and sections of the wiring- and! flooring were alsodamaged. The effects, of the disruption were transmitted to a second signal box controlling the main line; on which the expresses were to travel. With all signal lights showing red1 traffic in the: yards, was. at a standstill,, and it was necessary for the points tobe changed by hand before the Limited: express could leave, the station at 7.29 p.m. The second express was also delayed for about ten minutes.

Repairs, to the damaged equipment were started by a. staff of electricians and temporary measures were adopted to operate the points and enable normal services' to be maintained.