SERIOUS RAILWAY MISHAP.

Lake County Press, Issue 904, 29 March 1900, Page 5

SERIOUS RAILWAY MISHAP.

A. sensational accident occurred on Monday morning at about six o’clock when a special train from Dunedin, containing returning excursionists from the send-off to the South African contingents, was approaching the Invercargill station. It had stopped at Elies road to set down passengers and resumed the journey, going at the rate of four miles an hour. When it reached the point where a branch line runs to Fleming and Gilkison’s flourmill the foremost engine kept on the main line but the tender and the engine following took the branch and pulled the first off the metals on to its side between the two sets of rails. The cowcatcher wheels became imbedded in the ballast and the tender up-ended and was driven into the cab, breaking everything before it, the couplings being broken clean through. The driver and stoker escaped miraculously, the latter particularly, as the brake, which he has to manipulate and which he has in consepuence to stand near, having been damaged by the contact. Durry, the driver, had to escape through the open window, other means of exit haring been cut off. The smoke box oi the second engine ■was torn away by the front wheels of its tender and the coupling also snapped off. Three trucks, immediately following, were derailed and two which were standing on end in V snape, were much damaged. The foremost engine will require considerable expenditure to repair, while the tender was badly damaged, but the second engine-escaped with slight breakages and dents.

In accordance with custom an official examined the points as far as Elies road station at three in the afternoon, and when the six o’clock special came through everything was right. Appearances are held to indicate that someone had opened the lock taken the pin out, and laid it on one side some time last night, and half opened the points, and jammed between them stones, which were found forced between the switches to keep the points from falling hack again.

The train consisted of ten carriages and three trucks, and had on board about three hundred passengers. The sudden jolts threw the passengers about the cars in different directions, but none, excepting Mr James Turnbull, ■wool and skin merchant, met with injury, though some had bruised elbows and knees through being forced against the seats and sides of the carriages.

The line at the spot where the accident occurred was shifted bodily by a gang to the side for a distance of 100 yards, to enable Monday’s trains to pass the damaged engines, about a dozen surfacemen having been engaged at the work. The seven o’clock train to Clinton did not run, but the ten o’clock and other trains ran as usual.

It was very fortunate that the excursion train pulled up at Elies road some three hundred yards from where the accident occurred, and therefore had not got up speed, for had she been travelling fairly fast, most serious conquences must have ensued. The morning wfs very foggy, and obscured the view, except for a short distance.

Mr Turnbull received a number of bruises on his body and injury to the spine. It is impossible to say at present whether any permanent ill effects will result.