MERGER DERAILMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23745, 28 November 1940, Page 8

MERGER DERAILMENT

EVIDENCE OF ENGINEER TRACK KCT FAULTY [Peb United Pkess Association.] AUCKLAND, November 28. The first witness to-day in the Mercer train derailment inquiry, George James Bertinshaw, chief engineer of the maintenance branch of the Railways Department, said that after the ballast was cleared away and the sleepers and fastenings washed with water, he noticed a diagonal mark of the length of about 14in along the head of the outside rail, such as would bo made by the flange of a wheel mounting the rail. There was no sign of any obstruction having been placed on the track. It would, however, be very difficult to detect an obstruction if there had been one, owing to the debris and the disturbance in the ballast, etc. His investigation indicated that the cant and the runout of the cant were satisfactory, and the variations within the tolerance allowed. If there had been anything seriously wrong with the track it was reasonable to conclude that a goods train which had passed over the curve two hours before would have had trouble. He was satisfied that the accident was not caused by faulty condition of the track.

TIME-TABLE CALCULATIONS. in further evidence, Mr Bertinshaw said a table ho had prepared showed the total time between Frankton and Mercer —63 minutes, ' based on a 50 miles per hour maximum without allowing for temporary speed restrictions. This meant that the driver would run at 50 miles per hour on the straight stretches, and the full authorised speeds on the curves. The timetable sjieed allowed a margin of time as the full speed of 50 miles an hour was not adopted on the straights. The table indicated that the total time on the day of the accident would be 59.7 minutes from Frankton to Mercer, which would give a “ slack ” of 3.3 min as compared with the time-table time. To Mr Finlay (counsel for the Engine Drivers’ Association) witness said the K engines had been in use for four or five years. The K’s were not as bad on curves as other engines they had. Witness said he would put a train over the curve as it was after the accident, and as it was then distorted. He and his branch, had no objection to the use of speed recorders on the engines—would welcome them. The next witness, Percy Roy Angus, locomotive superintendent for the department, detailed the damage done to tho train. His examination did not disclose any defects that would contribute to tho derailment. Up to the time of the accident the K engine on the Limited allocated to the Frankton district had ■ run 35,189 miles since its last complete overhaul. The schedule mileage between overhauls was 90,000 miles. The locomotive was not fitted with a speed recorder or a speed indicator. The luncheon adjournment was here taken. MODEL OF ENGINE IN COURT. Complete to the smallest detail and mounted on rails, a steam-driven working model of a K engine of the same type as the one derailed near Mercer assisted in the clarification of many important points. Built by Mr Frank Roberts, of Epsom, Auckland, the model was greatly admired by railwayman.