A DERAILMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1937, Page 5

A DERAILMENT

OF A GOODS TRAIN CRASH INTO EXPRESS. Per Press Association Copyright. AUCKLAND, January 19. Three carriages and four trucks were derailed when a goods train of about eighty trucks crashed into the rear of the south-bound New Plymouth express, in a cutting about a mile south of Panraure station, just before eight o’clock to-night. The Limited Express, which left Auckland ,at 7.5 p.m., just before , the New Plymouth train, had been brought to a standstill, when a mechanical fault developed in the engine, and the New Plymouth train had stopped just past the Waipuna Road overhead bridge, where there is a bend in the line. After a brief survey of the damage had been taken, the Limited Express pulled slowly into Otahuhu, where the locomotive was replaced. The express resumed its journey south at 8.45 o’clock, over an hour late.

Passengers from the three derailed carriages of the New Plymouth train wore crowded into the two remaining carriages, and were taken to Otahuhu station, where they waited until their luggage should be sent on to them. This train left Otahuhu again at 11.5.

A motorist, who stopped his car on the Waipuna Road bridge, was just in time, to see the goods train locomotive pass under the bridge, and, impelled by the weight of its string of trucks, strike the back of the New Plymouth mail van. Strangely enough, the rear of this van was comparatively undamaged, but the front was stove in against the next carriage, the platform of each being splintered, and the steelwork buckled.

A peep into the mail van revealed a jumble of mail bags, suitcases, parcels, boxes, and one glistening new bicycle. The damage to the remaining carriages was confined to the platforms and an occasional splintered pane of glass, while two were lifted from their rear bogies by the following vehicle. •

In their hurried departure, the passengers left ill their seats newspapers, magazines, chocolate, a bag of apples and a burst bag of confetti. The four goods trucks damaged were twisted into a Z shape, one lying afc right angles across the line, while one' ploughed a track in the bank beside the line. The permanent way was undamaged. * A "'passenger oii'the New "Plymouth train said that the impact was Sufficient to throw the occupants of the train violently out of their seats. One woman fainted, and several people received cuts and bruises, but not even those in the end seats of the carriages, where the damage was greatest, were seriously hurt. A farm hand, working near the line, said the impact produced a noise like thunder. Although, another man said, the goods train was travelling slowly, the New Plymouth train was pushed forward nearly thirty feet. The work of clearing the line was started about 10 o’clock, a. breakdown crane and crew being sent out from Auckland station. Working in the light of oil flares, the men working well into the night, first emptying the contents of the trucks into a ditch beside tho line, before righting them. It is expected that the line will be clear before morning. Meanwhile, the route, via Newmarket will be used, so that railway passengers will be put to little inconvenience.