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TRAIN WRECKED

ACCIDENT AT HORNBY

COAL-LADEN WAGONS 19 PILED UP IN YARDS (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 19. The most spectacular railway derailment in ‘ Canterbury for many years occurred at Hornby, six miles south of Christchurch, early yesterday morning when a goods train carrying hundreds of tons of coal from the West Coast piled up in the station yard. In all 19 trucks of coal left the rails and at one point eight heavy iron wagons were piled high in a twisted wreck.

Through traffic was diverted round the shunting sidings and so no services were delayed. The wreckage had all been cleared away last night. A fault developed in the undercarriage of a truck towards the’front of the" train as it was passing through Ihc station, and. as the truck: pitched on the line, it tore gaps of concrete from the ledge Of the platform. When the undercarriage collapsed and ploughed into the permanent way, : the wrench parted the trucks causing the instantaneous application of the Westinghouse brake system. Although the train was travelling at only 20 miles per hour, the huge weight of coal m ihe oncoming trucks caused them in pile up on top of those in front which braked first.

In the worst section of the wrecked train, eight trucks were piled up, huge iron “L.A.” wagons being bent and torn like cardboard, while smaller wooden trucks were smashed to splinters. About 100 tons of coal was piled among the wreckage of these trucks whicn each carry more than 10 tons. Behind two wooden trucks, which were pulled off the line, two iron wagons rolled sideways on top uf another wooden truck. Yet another truck ran up on top of the pile of wreckage. The derailment occurred soon after midnight. Breakdown gangs Were early on the scene arid, while the .-iron trucks could be lifted bodily on to the break-down trolleys by the -big' mobile crane, the wooden trucks were so twisted that oXy-acelylene torches had to be used to cut metal fittings clear. The work was complicated by coal on the line and shovel gangs were continuously busy clearing the way ior the crane and for'other ~ workmen. Every one of the 19 trucks derailed bore some marks of damage. These trucks were scattered about the station yard as tiiey were taken clear of the train.

The main line south was cleared by 7 a.m. yesterday in time for' the excursion train for Timaru. Trie excursion tram from the south Was diverted round the wreck. ■ The second line was cleared by 4 p.m.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19430719.2.17

Bibliographic details

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21150, 19 July 1943, Page 2

Word Count
425

TRAIN WRECKED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21150, 19 July 1943, Page 2

TRAIN WRECKED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21150, 19 July 1943, Page 2