MIXED TRAIN DERAILED AT PALMERSTON.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 September 1928, Page 8

MIXED TRAIN DERAILED AT PALMERSTON.

SEVENTEEN WAGGONS SMASHED THE, PASSENGERS UNHURT. - .)• The railway siding to the,Hume Pipe Company’s works, which branches, off the .Palmerston North-Wanganui .line, a fey/ chains north of .the power station at Terrace End, was the scene of a disastrous smash last evening, vyhen, as a result of a i ruck leaving .the rails, practically two-thirds of the mixed train that is due in Palmerston North from Wanganui shortly befbre 8 o’clock, was piled up in a mass of twisted iron and &haittered Goods' and m.ali matter was strewn in all directions, but fortunately the two passenger coaches kept the rails and the dozen occupants have to thank the Westinghouse brakes for their lives. How near they were tq being involved in the wreck may be judged from the fact that only four trucks remained on the, rails in front of the carriages, but the permanent way beneath was torn up almost beyond recognition. Extent Not Realised. Strange as it may seem, the passengers were not alarmed when they were suddenly subjected to what one of them described as only a rather severe bump. One or two left their seats to see what had happened and were surprised at the comprehensive nature of the smash. Even the guard of the train was unaware of the serious nature of the stoppage and assured a passenger that it was only a temporary breakdown. It is presumed that a broken axle caused a waggon to leave the rails just prior to the siding being reached, and that this caught the rake of three vehicles, laden with cement pipes, pushing them along' and causing them in turn to crash into t-he passing trucks of the train. Residents living in the vicinity declare that they heard bumping as the train approached the siding at a speed of about 30 miles an hour. An examination of the track, however, did not reveal, as far as one could sec in the darkness last night, any evidence of the wheels having left the rails until the points were reached. It is evident, from the deep hole gouged out of the metal between the main line and the siding, that the derailed wagon pitched on its side, and as it was dragged along, it twisted the rails of the siding and damaged many of the sleepers. It is impossible to say from the confused mass of heaped-up waggons and freight in what portion of the lengthy train of (between 20 and 30 vehicles, the truck that precipitated the smash was linked, except that it must have been on the engine side of half-way, as it is in the latter half of the train that the most damage has been done. The engine kept the rails as did one or two of the trucks immediately following. Several others just behind these were undamaged but were turned on their sides. A remarkable feature of the accident is that, a gap of 20 or 30 yards separates two heaps of twisted wreckage. Behind the trucks on their sides was a produce van and this had one side and its top stripped clean away, while the contents, consisting of sacks of meal and oats, were distributed along the rails. Three or four vans contained mail matter, consisting chiefly of parcels from Great Britain addressed to Wellington and the South Island. A gang of postal employees was immediately despatched to the scone and worked until an early hour this morning collecting the hampers and bringing them on to Palmerston North. Their task was an arduous one owing to the darkness and the difficulties under which they had to work. Nevertheless, they effected a speedy clearance of all mail matter that could be found. One van which contained mail must have somersaulted after leaving; the track. It lay on the bank of a large cavity which it.excavated with a nosedive, with the roof conveniently knocked off for the Post Office officials, to work through. Destruction and Darkness. As a reporter worked down the line from the Kelvin Grove crossing, dark figures loomed up out of the gloom, to pass disjointed remarks concerning the wreck and pass on. Earnest searchers, with lanterns wore closely examining the permanent way, seeking some explanation of the smash. Then suddenly, behind the three red tail lights of the guard’s van, a scene of nocturnal activity became apparent. Shodowry figures could, be perceived moving amongst what appeared , to be a hopeless jumble , of . wreckage. First came the, van with two passenger carriages all securely on the line. Then four trucks also on the permanent, way. But there' order ended and chaos began, in 200 yards of jagged, twisted -wreckage and scattered freight. Two of. the three mail vans om the train had crashed over on their sides, the roofs "being burst from them by the . shock of the impact. Amid the splintered wreckage were ..the precious bifgn of his Majesty’s mail strewn far and wide. Still further on were more hopelessly wrecked vans, presenting: contorted, twisted shapes in the darkness. Bags of flour, sugar and. oats lay amidst splintered coach-work in. hopeless confusion. Two iron triicks, . unable to telescope, made a 'monstrous arrow-head against the Sky, where , they stood forced into the air. ehd:to-end. Then more smashed vans ami Anally four iron trucks , lying, still coupled, beside the permanent way- Beyond them shone' the lights of an engine and’trucks “which had brought "the Inspector Of _ Permanent Ways, Palmerston bNb.rtli Station; master and others, to inspect the: scene.': Gangs of men passed ; hurriedly ' with lafftorn s, s while curious, sightseers -were .to be found everywhere -exiufljning the .ruins. ; • - •: : The chief work of the clearing parties lay in collecting the" scattered mail bags and ensuring: their safety. Apart from that, ho effort' could,- be made in thefdarkness, to 'salvage' the hea : yy,: ffeights. .of sugar and oats. , . *#y»;irain;appeared as though a high-explosive shell had struck it amictshios and shattered the cars way. To add .further to the confusion a number of the wrecked vans had

siimslied down up6n a rako of trucks 5 which had been side-tracked opposite; the pipe works.. The permanent way at the spot where'• the '..wreck piled highest was gouged and splintered for • nearly two chains. The vans toppling over the line embankment had also scored deep ruts and scars in the • earth, making progress in the dark extremely pre- ; carious. A side line running into the 5 grounds of the pipe company had been struck byv swinging trucks which had canted nearly two chains of the permanent way at an angle of 30 degrees, ■ Connected effort in the confusion and darkness was impossible aM little could bo done in the way of clearing the debris. Well on towards night,.-as the hows of the accident spread, cars were still arriving on the ■scene with loads of the curious, but little satisfaction could be gained from surveying the dim shapes of the twisted wrecks. The passengers were brought on to Palmerston North by car. Work of Clearing Line Started Immediately Immediately the hews of the accident reached Palmerston North the Railway Department commenced to marshal all its resources to clear the line and maintain the services. A break-down train was despatched to the scene from Palmerston North with- all the local railway, men available.’ Similar arrangements were made at Feilding. The District Engineer (Mr.. H. Boasely, of Wanganui) and Mr. }>. H. Hartland (District Traffic Manager. Wanganui) arrived at l-a.rn._and took charge of operations. At 1.30 a.m. a special break-down train from Wanganui reinforced those toiling feverishly. Wellington supplied its _ qtiota in the shape of a special, which includa large steam crane. 1 his last was on the job at about o o’clock this morning and assisted greatly in lifting the heavy wreckage bodily off the-track. Train Arrangements. The up-Limited was held at Palmerston. The Railway Department did everything possible for the comfort ox passengers during their enforced sojourn in Palmerston North. Some, elected to. spend the night in local hotels. For the benefit of those who remained aboard, an engine was kept attached to the cars to supply steam for heating. Interviewed early this morning, Mr. J. J. O’Shea, stationmaster, stated that Main Trunk expresses would run as usual. Until such rime as the line was cleared his Department would make arrangements for the transmpment of passengers and their luggage by motor from Kelvin Grove to Palmerston North.