TRAINS COLLIDE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1941, Page 8

TRAINS COLLIDE

ELECTRIC UNITS DAMAGED. [per press association.] WELLINGTON, May 20. A collision shortly before 7 o’clock this morning disorganised the electric railway service on the Johnsonville line, and city-bound workers had to be transported by bus, although by the time these were available, many people had already called taxis. Severe damage was done to two electric units. The collision occurred through a goods train, which stalled on the way up the hill, holding up the following electric unit, into the tail of which another crashed. Each unit consisted of two cars. The rear end of the stationary unit was badly smashed up, and the buckling effect on the whole car was apparent in twisted metal panels and broken windows along the sides. The front compartment of the other unit was forced back, but fortunately not far enough to injure the driver, the side opposite to which he was seated taking the full force. The front seat was forced up and back, and was covered with splintered material and broken glass. Other seats in the car were twisted, and the metal flooring was forced up. Both units were almost empty, being outward bound, and in neither case were any passengers near the most knocked-about portions of the cars.