THE ENGINE DISAPPEARED

Evening Star, Issue 20150, 15 April 1929, Page 6

THE ENGINE DISAPPEARED

TOLL OF THE HEAVY RAIH INQUEST ON LOCOMOTIVE FIREMAN Details concerning the death of Charles Roy Tuck, who lost his life as the result of a railway mishap on the Otago Central line during the heavy rain on March 19, were given this morning by the witnesses who came forward in the adjourned inquest held before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. Sergeant Isbister conducted the inquiry for the police, and Mr C. M. Benzoin (district railway engineer) represented tho Railway Department. Mr B. Banowclomrh appeared for the deceased’s wile. William Pul tar-, engine driver, said that on March 19 he was in charge ol an engine on the Otago Central line, deceased being the fireman. They were due to leave Middlcmarch at 4.5 G that night, hut they were about two hours late. Guard Chave was in charge of the train. They were joined by another engine at Middlcmarch, Driver Gall being in charge of it. There were three trucks between his engine and the engine driven by Mr Gall. WATER AT SALISBURY. Weather conditions were had, lor H was raining heavily and blowing. They reached Hindon without anything happening, arriving there somewhere about 8.55. Hindon really stopped them to tell them about water over the hue at Salisbury, but this was the only information they could get. They lelt Hindon and proceeded to Parent, at which station they were stopped the same way as at Hindon; the former message was confirmed. At Parera witness rang up Wingatui and asked for information concerning the water at Salisbury; he was told that CB, the previous tram, had got through to Wingatui about two hours previously. Witness then spoke to Driver Scott of this train, and on asking about the water at Salisbury was told that it was bad and that it vas difficult to get through. Driver Scott then said: ‘‘However, you can go out and have a look at it if you like, hut I would not go through it if 1 were you.” Witness then told the station Blaster about the matter. He (the station master at Wingatui) said lie had been in communication with the transport office, and he suggested that lie (witness) should take,half the train up to the point in question and see what it was like. Witness consulted the other members of. tho train crew, and they agreed to go on to the danger point, taking the whole train instead of half. Tliey left at about 10 p.m-. proceeding at about four or five miles per hour. Witness was on the righthand side, and Guard Chave and dcceased were on the Iclt-lmml side, a good look-out being kept by all. Ihe head light was brilliant, and witness was very nearly a quarter-mile away Irom the culvert when he located it. TRACK COLLAPSES.

When he located the danger spot ho immediately went slowly forward with the intention of stopping a sufficient distance away from the culvert to permit an examination being made of that spot. He was within a few engine lengths of when be intended to stop when lie noticed a small wash-out or cup on his .side. He immediately jammed on the brakes, and just at that instant the engine simply went from under them—-dropped straight down without any warning at all. Witness found himself in 3ft of water in the creek, the engine lying on its side. Chavo was in the cab with him. Chavc said: “ Where arc we?” They did not see any sign of deceased. Wftnoss scrambled out .of the engine and aas washed down the creek about a chain and a-balf. They searched for deceased for three-quarters of an hour, but could find no trace of him. They went back with flic whole train to Patera and advised flm various departments about the affair. At the time of tlfc accident they were going up-hill, NO SIGN OF DANGER.

'To Air Barrowclough: At Parcra both he and the guard were responsible for deciding that the tram should go on. 4411)1058 said lie himself would not have gone on if ho had had sufficient reason to think that it was dangerous to do so. Mr Barrowclough: Do you moan to say that when it came to this question there is no regulation to say who is in charge of a train? Witness: “The guard must give the right of way to go on. Witness added that there was no point in leaving half a train behind at Parcra. The guard’s proper place was in the van, but on tins occasion he was sitting on the left-hand side of the engine. There was room for both him and the fireman on the latter’s seat, it would be possible for the driver, who had gone ahead of him to report on the condition of ;the line. He did not know whether or not this was done. Jf the circumstances had been reported he thought an inspection would have been made. The engine collapsed about 200yds from the culvert, which lie knew to lie dangerous. The creek did not go through the culvert, and lie did not know of any culvert being whore the engine collapsed. At tins point the line was cut out of the full They went out at a slow speed from Parcra, because be thought there might be danger all the way. Witness would not care to run a train with the guard or any man walking in front. The train could not always be field to a man’s walking pace. Tlic first indication lie had ol danger was a. small cup, and it must have been the weight of the engine which broke through the surface. _ He should be able to stop the train in that position in a little more than an engine's length. If the train had been only half that length it would not have made any difference. At Par-era nc decided to go on, because lie knew exactly where the water was. I hey aif agreed to go on. The Coroner; “ Is an engine never piloted by a jigger?’’ Witness: “Yes, on occasions.’ 1 In response to further questions from (die coroner the witness said that there was no jigger available at Parera, and under the circumstances ho did not think a jigger would have been of much use, for the line was absolutely unbroken, and there was no sagging on the track. To Air Benzoin: He Had been sixteen or seventeen years driving, and had driven through water previously, including ten inches of water on tho Taieri Plain. NO HOPE FOR DECEASED. Cecil Victor Clmve, the guard, said that at Middleware!) he took charge of the train. At Parera witness waited a few minutes and had a consultation ■with Air Pullar, and they agreed to go on. When the engine fell the deceased would be in the leit centre ot the engine, and would have his back to the opening of the cab. Witness said that when he was standing m the cab lie' put his foot down to see how deep the water was, and he thought ho touched deceased’s leg. This, however, was some time alter the accident, and lie certainly would he dead. He could not got. at him to liberate him. He had no idea what happened to deceased after the engine fell. As the engine fell it tilted to the felt, and should have thrown deceased clear.

To Mr Barrowciougli; He got on to the engine because a sharp Jock out had to "be kept on account of the state of the* line. He did not go to the cab to get dry; in any case there was little heat given out by the engine. Thomas William Handisides, road foreman, said he was on the engine from the time the train left Omakan. It was a new engine, and lie was testing it. After a consultation at Parer a they decided to go on. When the accident occurred witness was standing beside Driver Gall on the second engine. The train suddenly stopped dead, and they got down from the engine to see what the matter was. They found that the front engine had disappeared. _ To Mr Benzoin: The water which came down the cutting re-entered He creek before it reached the scene ol the accident. William Cameron Gall, driver of the second engine, also gave evidence. He stated that everything possible was done to find the deceased.

Henry Curr, car ami wagon iespoetor. said that on March 21 he went tip to Salisbury to re-rail one wagon and disconnect two others. The arm of the deceased could be seen from underneath the cab of the engine. AV,'tness then described how the body was recovered. He did not think the deceased had lime to get deal' of the engine. His left foot was ginned town by the foot plate, of the engine. To Mr Barrowclongh ; He had nothing to do with repairing the line. Constable William Southgate, of Ontram, said that nothing could he done towards recovering the body until March 21, “ PURELY ACCIDENTAL.” Mr Rarrowclongli considered that there was not sufficient evidence regarding what had happened at Salisbury. If the conditions had been reported there surely the ganger would have gone out, ami had ho done so the accident might have been averted. Air Benzoin said that the whole point was that the accident happened at another place altogether from where the water was. The pang.-r was probably elsewhere, but even if be bad been out at this particular locality ho wouhl hare been where the water was. Jt made no difference whatever. The Coroner stated that every care seemed to have been taken, and the crew of the train had proceeded with due circumspection. Absolute security could uot be guaranteed, and all that could be done was to take reasonable precaution. He was satisfied that this had been done. The journey might have been safer in daylight, for some indication of the danger spot might have been given. The whole occurrence; was purely accidental, and he could only find that deceased met J;is. death through being ern-dud under an engine which had accidentally overturned through the Hack collapsing at j Salisbury on March 19.