STRUCK A BULL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 40, 16 August 1944, Page 4

STRUCK A BULL

NEW PLYMOUTH TRAIN

ENGINE AND CAR DERAILED

The Wellington-New Plymouth express was passing non-stop through the small station of Kakaramea, a few miles north of Patea, when it struck a bull, which had strayed on to the line at the station, at 11.15 a.m. yesterday. The locomotive was completely derailed, and the leading car was also derailed, with the result that the line was blocked, delaying the arrival of the express at Wellington by 6£ hours. The bull was killed but- as the train, which consisted of seven cars and a van, was travelling only at 15 miles an hour, the 270 passengers were uninjured, and little alarm was caused.

A breakdown train was dispatched from Wanganui at 12.5 p.m. with heavy jacks and re-railing equipment. Train services were disorganised. The 49 passengers for Wellington arrived at 12.42 a.m. As the city trams had ceased running, arrangements were made for buses to take the passengers to their destinations.

Wairarapa people were accommodated by delaying the 8.40 railcar from Palmerston to Woodville. This car was run right through to Masterton.

Relief trains were arranged at the scene of the derailment, and a train was run from Wanganui to Wellington.