PIONEER RAILWAYMEN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 3 January 1924, Page 5

PIONEER RAILWAYMEN.

MR. JOHN ROBERTSON

A PLUCKY ACT.

__ One of the pioneer engineers of the New Zealand Government railways, who built and afterwards drove two of the first locomotives to run between Dunedin and Christchurch, passed through Wellington last week, says the Dominion. He is Mr. John Robertson, now thoroughly enjoying his retirement at the age of 72. Born in Scotland, Mr. Robertson came to New Zealand at the age of 12 in 1861, and when old enough entered the engineering profession. His first contract was with Messrs. Hunt and Gavin, to cut the "chairs" for the AVaitaki railway bridge, out of which he cleared £400. Soon afterwards he joined the railway service and erected :in Oamaru, and later ran, the two first engines, the Seddon and Roslyn, which ran between Christchurch and Dunedin. On the Auckland-Onehunga run, to which he was transferred, Mr. Robertson's quick perception, presence of mind and pluck undoubtedly saved many lives on an occasion that will be still vivid in the minds of residents of the early 'eighties. Nearing the Newmarket tunnel he noticed smoke coming out of the entrance, and knowing that no train was scheduled ahead of him, decided that there must be something very much wrong. Shutting off steam and applying the brakes (there were no AA Testinghouse brakes then), he did not wait for his own engine to stop, but leaped from it and ran 100 yards' into the tunnel, where he managed to swing aboard a runaway engine, which was coming towards him. and tried to stop it. So narrowly was the collision averted that the cow-catchers of the engines were interlocked before the runaway was brought to a standstill. On the express driven by Mr. Robertson were 250 passengers, including a number of school children. So delighted were they at their escape that they collected 250 sovereigns for him. but the Government would not allow him to^take it. He wa.s given a rise in wages of 6d. a day. Mr. Robertson did not rem;n'n in the railway service, but was employed by various private firms in the North Island, on one occasion receiving salvage money for the rescue of a brig off Napier.