EVENTFUL TRIP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21606, 8 January 1945, Page 2

EVENTFUL TRIP

010 DERAILMENT “ALL SCTSUDDEN” PASSENGERS' STORIES (P.A.) AUCKLAND. Jan. 8. Tired after their eventful journey of more than 24 hours, but still cheerful and good-natured, passengers on the express from Wellington which was derailed near Oio in the early hours of Saturday morning were thankful to have escaped so lightly from their unenviable experience. They agreed that there had been no panic at the time of the accident- and were philosophic enough to say that tilings might have been very mud. worse. Despite the reassuring telegrams sent from the scene of the accident, there wore many anxious faces among relatives and friends who met the relief train at the Auckland station shortly after 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, but these doubts were soon dispelled as the passengers alighted, obviously none the worse for wear and some not a little proud of their experiences. One small child with an almost imperceptible limp, which he took no pains lo disguise, was heard for a moment as he explained every detail through a torrent of words dirccted at a suitably impressed youth of about, the same age. It was fortunate that the train was travelling at only about 20 miles an hour, the regulation speed limit for that particular portion of the track. wh.cn the derailment took place. The occupants of most of the carriages had settled down for the night and the majority were asleep when the accident occurred. “No Panic” "ft was all so sudden, I did not realise what had happened,” said Mrs. .1. M. Bradley, Mt. Eden, whose husband, who was travelling with her, suffered a bruised toe. "I felt a sharp jolt and remember thinking we had struck a boulder. People were thrown from one side of the carriage to the other, and luggage tumbled flown from the racks all over us. Some women screamed a little, which was only natural, but the menfolk were wonderful and there was no panic or commotion."

The carriage in which Mr. and Mrs. Bradley were travelling was thrown against the embankment, where it came to rest at a sharp angle. It was only through a last-minute change made at their request that they were not travelling in the seat occupied by Mr. A. Nolan, who suffered fractured ribs. They had originally reserved this seat, but they arranged the transfer through the guard as Mrs. Bradley did not like travelling with her back to the engine.

“In our carriage some cried ‘hold everything' and we just hung on and hoped for the best as it slid gently down Hie slope." said a member of the R.N.Z.A.F. “We finished up at an angle of about 45 degrees and we only managed to reach the door by forming a chain and walking on the ends of the seats."

After they had been helped from the carriages the passengers sat around in groups singing songs for the night was warm and clear.. It was a tight squeeze to get the passengers from 10 carriages with their, luggage into the remaining three first-class cars, but the passengers were in good spirits on the short journey back to Raurimu, where refreshments were most welcome. V

Passengers in the derailed train spoke in most appreciative terms of the assistance rendered by railway officials and other passengers. The work performed by several air forgo men, Including a doctor who attended to the injured, and members of other services also elicited-high praise, particularly with women with young children.