Run Over by Train

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 24 December 1925, Page 5

Run Over by Train

Two Surfacemen Killed ANOTHER ESCAPES INJURED. CAUGHT ON SHUNTING LINE. (Per Press Association.) Auckland, Dec. 23. Two railway surfacement were killed and a third received injuries to his head through being knocked down by a shunting train at Newmarket at about a quarter past two this afternoon. The accident occurred on what is known as the “back shunt” portion of the line, along which trains shunt backyard from Newmarket before proceeding along the Kaipara line. The names of the men killed are:— JOHN WILLIAM BROWN HARLAND, married, aged 47, of Remuera. He is suited to have a grown-up family. RICHARD GEORGE DILWORTH, married, aged 59, Kingsland. He is stated to have a grown-up family.

The injured man is Arthur Skeen, married, who lives in one of the railway cottages beside the line. His injuries are not regarded as serious. He has a family of two sons and a daughter. The three men were members of a gang which was employed in weeding and repairing the track of the “back shunt.” They were working under the supervision of a ganger who was absent for a few moments. He was returning, and was about 50 yards from the men. when he noticed a train, which consisted of about 10 trucks and an engine. witu no van. It was travelling comparatively slowly. He shouted ■to the men. but it is doubtful whether they heard. At the same time he signalled to the driver of the train, but was not noticed.

NOTICED TRAIN TOO LATE. The men appeared to straighten up just as the train was upon them, but whether they heard the ganger's shouts or the train is not known. Skeen is the only one who managed to save his life, but it is not clear why he was more fortunate than the others. The bodies of Harland and Dilworth were terribly mutilated, the train having passed right over them before coming to a standstill. Death must have been instantaneous in each case. The train bv which the men were knocked down was a regular daily shunting train from Newmarket to Mount Eden. All the men were supplied with time-tables showing the times at which trains were to be expected. There was no one on the back of the train at the time, as it was regarded as being engaged in purely shunting operations within the yards. A shuntter was travelling on the step of the engine to change the points when the “back shunt” was completed. When the train commenced to run forward again it would be outside the yards, and he would travel on the Idst waggon. Other gangs of men were employed on the other two sides of the “triangle” of which the “back shunt” forms the base.

A DANGEROUS SPOT. The spot where the accident occurred is regarded as dangerous, as trains run backwards along this part of the line and the sound of their approach is apt to be drowned by the noise of a timber mill on one side or the passing of trains on the other.

The three men were all experienced in the class of work in which they were engaged. Harland and Dilworth were casual surfacemen, but had previously been permanently employed by the Railway Department and had had experience extending over about 20 years. Skeen was a permanent surfaceman and also had a long experience.