RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1927, Page 4

RUNAWAY LOCOMOTIVE

SIGNALMAN’S PLUCKY LEAP. After a mishap to the Euston-Stran-raer boat train in the early hours one morning lately the engine travelled for miles without either driver or fireman aboard, and was eventually stopped by a plucky signalman. The breaking of a coupling caused the driver to stop the train, and he and his fireman descended from the engine to make investigations. While they were thus engaged, the engine, with one mail coach attached to it, began to move, and disappeared into the darkness. Urgent mesages were sent io signalboxes along the line. As the boat train had been “accepted.” the line was clear, and the, engine reached Ruthwell, ten miles from Annan, where Signalman Brown was on the look-out, having received instructions to “do what he could.” There is a gradient near Brown’s box, and he found the. engine was travelling slow enough for him to spring on to the footplate and bring it to a standstill. “Had it travelled much further,” he said, “it would have dashed downhill all the way to Dumfries.” Another engine was sent to take the boat train to Stranraer, the Irish mail boat having been delayed until the train passengers arrived.