TRAIN’S CLOSE CALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 242, 10 September 1935, Page 2

TRAIN’S CLOSE CALL

WHEEL SHEDS TYRE. CONSTABLE’S PROMPT ACTION. Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Sept. 9. A train wreck which might easily have been a disaster of considerable dimensions was averted by the presence of mind of a member of the New 1 Jymoutli Police Force, Constable L. Quin, aboard the Auckland-New Plymouth express last night. All that Constable Quin did was to operate tho Westinghouse brakes system with, which every train is equipped, but it was stated subsequently by members of the train crew that, if he had delayed his action even a minute, the chances were that the whole train would have leapt from the rails and piled itself into a heap of wreckage. The cause was the slipping of a tyre on one of the wheels of a sleeping car on the train.

Even though a serious accident was averted, the train was delayed at Otorohanga for five hours and did not reach New Plymouth until midday todav.

The Auckland-New Plymouth express, which is usually attached to tho Auckland-Wellington Limited express as far as Taumarunui, was last night run as a separate train, comprising a big K engine and four cars and a van. It left Auckland 18 minutes behind the Limited express and made a fast run to Te Awamutu. After leaving Te Awamutu at 11 p.m., passengers in the leading car noticed a loud knocking in the undercarriage. This grew more pronounced as the speed increased. Running into Otorohanga the knocking became a bumping, and the passengers were so alarmed that the constable took action to stop the train. The trouble was inspected and arrangements made toi a breakdown gang. No damage was done to the track.