TRAIN DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 23744, 27 November 1940, Page 6

TRAIN DISASTER

THE MERCER INQUIRY BOARD HEARS FURTHER EVIDENCE [Peu United Press Association,] AUCKLAND, November 27. When the Board of Inquiry into the Mercer train derailment resumed its sitting lan Graham, a porter stationed at Huntly, said that when the northbound Limited travelled through Huntly that morning he remarked to Ganger Wallis: “That’s M'Cubbin. One of these days he will kill himself.” When going over the points at the station the train swayed a bit. Though travelling faster than usual, it was not a great deal faster, as all expresses travelled through rapidly. What caused him to say “ One day he will kill himself ” was the fact that there were bends in the line and facing the points. His remark did not relate specifically to Driver M'Cubbin, but to the drivers of the Limited as a class. George Paterson, a surfaceman stationed at Huntly, said he thought the train was travelling faster than usual through Huntly. He had known M'Cubbin well, but, apart from the apparently excessive speed of the Limited on that day, he had no personal knowledge of M'Cubbin travelling at greater than normal speed. Clarence William Barret, a porter, stationed at Whangamarino, said he would not like to say the speed of the train was down to 30 miles an hour, a restriction which commenced immediately ahead of the station. The speed seemed, however, to be about the usual for the Limited.

Brian Mansfield Beeohey, a surfaceman stationed at Mercer, said that when the train passed he was definitely of the opinion that the speed was in excess of that normally run by express trains.

Jim Owen HarHs, a porter, stationed at Rangiriri, did not consider the train passed through at a speed faster than usual. THE DERAILMENT. Sergeant T. Kelly, of Pukekohe, detailed his examination of the express and the permanent way after derailment. The draw 'bar of the engine snappped off clean, allowing the carriages to rush past, each carriage being lifted off the rail on the left side until clear of the engine, when it came down again on the rails. There was nothing to indicate an obstruction on the line.

The chairman (Sir Francis Frazer) congratulated Sergeant Kelly 'on his observations and excellent statement. Constable F. Pollard, stationed at Mercer, described hearing a short whistle, accompanied by a rumbling sound, causing him to run out of the police station. There was no chance of getting into the engine. He turned off what steam cocks he could see, but the steam still escaped. Witness described the removal of the bodies of the engine crew, Rupert Cecil Hayes, a surfaceman at Rangiriri, said the express seemed to be handled in a normal manner and to travel at its usual speed. Edward Henry Burroughs, automatic signal maintainer at Ohinewai, gave similar evidence. Arthur Thomas Baker, another surfaceman, considered the train was travelling at normal speed, if anything a shade slower than usual.

The luncheon adjournment was then taken.