LEVEL CROSSING SMASH

Evening Star, Issue 22879, 10 February 1938, Page 14

LEVEL CROSSING SMASH

GAR SOMERSAULTS ACROSS ROAD DRIVER ESCAPES SERIOUS INJURY 'A' spectacular level-crossing accident in which the single occupant of a large five-seater sedan motor car escaped serious injury occurred at the Hornby crossing on the Main South road at 10.30 last evening (states the Christchurch 'Press’). The injured man, Reginald Cockle, aged 29, of 170 Waltham road, was going south over the crossing when the rear of his car was struck by the Little River goods train, which was going west along the branch line toward Hornby statjon on the main line. The train was going very slowly at the time, and pulled up with the tender of the engine still on the crossing.

The motor car was struck at the left rear door and somersaulted across the road ; coming to rest on its wheels on the intersection of the Main South and Junction roads. It had'both left wheels ripped off, and was otherwise badly damaged. The force of the impact twisted the coupling on the front of the engine. The train was delayed for more than half an hour. Cockle was unconscious when he was taken from the car, but became semiconscious ' before his removal in a St. John .ambulance to the Christchurch Public Hospital. He suffered head injuries, and was still semi-conscious, but not in a serious condition at an early hour this morning.