TRAM COLLISION

Grey River Argus, 10 December 1938, Page 13

TRAM COLLISION

At Christchurch FOUR VEHICLES DAMAGED. [Per Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, December 9. While the City Council’s Traffic Department’s “Safety Week?’ procession was in progress this afternoon a tram with a trailer attached crashed into the back of the trailer at- ! tached to another tram, which had 1 stopped in Ferry Road near Monicp Park. Both of the trams were carrying “Safety First” slogans on banners. Fortunately, there were not many passengers on either tram, and, although considerable damage was done to the vehicles, only one person was injured. This was the motorman of the second tram, and his injuries were not serious. The 2.10 p.m. tram for Sumner stopped at the'regular stopping place to set down a woman passenger. She was in the act of alighting when the 2.14 p.m. tram for Woolston crashed into the rear of the trailer, which was attached to the Sumner tram. The woman escaped injury. The conductor, who was standing on the platform of the trailer of the Sumner car saw the other par coming, and realising that an accident was inevitable, he jumped off just in time to avoid serious injury, because the empty -trailer was telescoped. ■ The' motorman of the Woolston tram received painful facial-injuries, and suffered severely from shock. The force of the impact was so great that the stationary Sumner-bound car and trailer were pushed a chain beyond the stopping place. The passengers in the Sumner tram received, a severe shaking, but there was no panic. All four vehicles were badly dam aged, particularly the trailer on the Sumner car. The whole of the rear of thi s vehicle was stove in, and the road was littered with broken glass and splintered timber. The tramway authorities had breakdown equipment on the scene almost immediately, and, in less than an hour, all the wreckage was cleared away. The traffic was not interfered with, because the stop was on a loop. The injured motorman was taken to the. Christchurch Hospital by a passing motorist, and early in the evening he was discharged ns an out-patient.