TRAIN DERAILED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21605, 6 January 1945, Page 4

TRAIN DERAILED

RAURIMU MISHAP SIX CARS LEAVE RAILS ONLY TWO "PEOPLE HURT <P,A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 6. The 3 p.m. train from Wellington to Auckland was derailed yesterday while running near Kaurimu. Water had banked up to a considerable extent behind the line and six cars were derailed when the weight of ihe express caused the train to slide sideways. Only two passengers were injured. They were: Mrs. F. B. Smith. 32 Todman street Brooklyn. Wellington, head injuries. Mi. A. Nolan, Ikamatua. West Coast. South Island, two broken ribs. They wore attended by an army doctor who was on tiie train, and were taken to the Taumarunui Hospital, where Mrs. Smith had three stitches put in her wound, after which she was able to continue her journey.

A Wanganui message states that tin: six derailed cars dropped I.4ft, The accident happened four miles north of Raurimu spiral at 1.30 a.m. to-day. Only two persons were injured’. though tiie cars finished 20ft from the line at an angle oi' 45 degrees. There wore 400 passengers on the Irani. The accident was caused by a heavy fall of earth on the line, followed bv a subsidence, there being a hole 50It long full of water just ahead o' where the track collapsed. The 7.15 p.m. express from Auck';;nd was sent back from Oio with the passengers .from the derailed tram rnd tiie relief one following. Tiie relief express from. Wellington was =ent back from Raurimu with passengers transhipped from the Auckland train. Tiie Limited from Wellington and the relief were sent back from Taihape on .to the Stratford deviation gassing through Aramoho at 8.30 a.m and 9.20 a.m. The expresses ■ from Auckland and Wellington will be diverted over the same route to-dav The damage to the track is considerable. but mav be cleared bv tomorrow night. Forty-ton breakdown clones have been sent from Auckland and Wellington.