HUTT DERAILMENT

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1943, Page 2

HUTT DERAILMENT

Weight of Engine r , u —» j SOARD SEEKS FURTHER INFORMATION. I WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. . When the Hutt, derailment inquiry I resumed, to-uay, Dr. iviazengaro sam i he had ueen instructed to appear ror - r. G. Thomas, anotner or tne victims, and for several of those who had oeen seriously injured. Tne w.tness Leineweber, permanent ! way inspector, was recalled and ques- , tioned as to the instructions he had . 1 issued in regard to work needing attention. . . Mr. Watson: Two engine drivers have given evidence that in the whole of the*’week preceding the derailment there was something the matter with the track, practically at the scene of the acc.dent, sufficient to make the I engine lurch both coming and going. I Did you discover anything in the I track to account for the lurch? I Witness: Nothing at all. In fact, the very day. I mane the inspection I rode back on an engine, if I had found anything I would have got a gang on the job immediately. The Chairman said the Board had received a letter from a daughter of a deceased ganger on that section of the line, as follows: My father said that particular place was always the worry of his length. He always maintained a serious accident would occur there, as it had a tendency to sink and he always said the line should be shifted out. f'That, of course, is not evidence,” said the Chairman, “but I want you to say whether you noticed anything in the nature of a tendency to sink?” Witness: Nothing at all. Only the ord'nanj gradual sinking you might expect on any section of track. G. J. Bertinshaw. Chief Engineer of Railways, said that after the receipt of a letter from the E.F.C.A.. he made an insnection of the Well-ington-Uoner Hutt line, with the District Engineer. Major Aicken: Would you consider a letter in those terms serious; Witness: Verv serous indeed. H" said that thev left Wellington at 8 a.m. on a motor jigger and reached Upner Flutt about 5 p.m. Thev travelled slowly, stopping on practically all the curves and many other places, and walking altogether eight or mne miles. Irregularities could he felt on a motor i’gger. but they did, not depend on that alone. Thev depended on evesight and walking over nlaces. Witness considered it needed close inspection. No bumps were felt on the trip. On September 15, he renorte'd to the General Manager on the results of the inspection, stating he was satisfied there was no justification for taking the drastic action suggested by the E.F.C.A.. and that the track was quite safe at’the authorised rates of speed. He had not the slightest hesitation in coming to the opin'on that the first derailment on August 20 was in no way due to the condition of the track. Actually it was due to a defect in a casting underneath the engine. He formed the same opinion of the state of >tna track afteir the Occident on November 8. LATER. At the Hutt train inquiry, seven witnesses, who were in various carriages of the wrecked train, told of incidents of the accident. All said that the sneed of the train was normal. In intimating that the inquiry would be adjourned till December 13, the chairman said that, in the meantime. the Board desired information on two points to be obtained for submission. The Board would liko an investigation carried out of the formation in the vicinity of the derailment. and it was not satisfied with the results of the weighing of the locomotive. It would like further ■ weighings to be carried out, and perhaps further tests in the presence of the two technical members