LEVEL CROSSING COLLISION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 June 1928, Page 3

LEVEL CROSSING COLLISION.

TRAIN AND LOADED AIOTOHLORRY. ■ , (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NAPIER, June 19. A collision with somewhat unusual features occurred between a train and a motor-lorry at the Frederick Street railway crossing, Hastings, this afternoon. The lorry was carrying a score of 20() gallon drums of benzine and was driven by E. F. Lowry. It still had its rear wheels on the line when a train came along and crashed into the vehicle, turning it completely round. The driver of the lorry fortunately kept his scat, and the lorry ran back down a slope away from the railway line for about 20 yards, and in its course levelled 30 or 35 feet of a fence outside a private residence. The wheels of the lorry turned out great patches of asphalt from the footpath and did considerable damage to a lawn inside the fence. The oil drums were scattered in all directions. One was carried about 15 yards along, the line until it exploded and fell into an eight-foot ditch, the presence of which was fortunate, as the content of the drum burned out harmlessly, except for slight damage to a hedge. Had it not been for the ditch „thc house adjoining the line would have been in danger. Another oil drum was caught by the cow-catcher and was tossed 'on the other side of the line for a chain, but it remained intact. The engine’s cowcatcher was almost ripped oil and trailed along till the train -was stopped. A hole a foot in diameter was knocked out of the iron front of the engine firebox. The iron outer cap of Iho cylinder on thq right of the "engine was- also badly smashed.