TRAIN DERAILED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 256, 26 September 1935, Page 8

TRAIN DERAILED

SCHOOL CHILDREN’S ESCAPE

MISHAP IN SOUTHLAND

Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Sept. 25. A serious train derailment occurred on the main Invercargill-Christchurch. line early this evening when the mixed afternoon train from Invercargill to Clinton was almost completely derailed at the foot of the long incline between Kamahi and Edendale. Almost the whole train, including four carriages, carrying some 70 passengers, left the rails and the carriages, together with 12 loaded and six empty trucks, were piled up in the greatest confusion. The first two carriages were occupied by 50 secondary school pupils, who suffered a shaking but escaped serious injury. Only three children received injuries requiring attention and none oF these was too seriously hurt to proceed to their homes.

The two carriages followed immediately after two empty petrol wagons which caused no anxiety, but a fire occurred in the second carriage as a result of a gas-lighting cylinder being forced through the flooring. The fire was quickly extinguished. The timber was splintered and raised about the centre of this carriage to a height almost level with the bottom of the windows. This would probably' have caused serious injury to the children had not the carriage been of the olu type with longitudinal seating, as a result of which the occupants were rocketed to the front end of the cairiage in a heap. , The front carriage came to rest across the permanent way against a pile of smashed trucks, a great deal of glass being broken. The platforms of the three carriages were telescoped and the cars divorced from the bogey wheels. The permanent way was torn up for a distance of oo yards, and splinters of trucks, bogey wheels, and the. cargo of lime, timber, and coke were piled up in great confusion in front of the carriages. When the breakdown crew arrived late in the evening the indications were that the line would take a considerable time to clear. Passengers by the south-bound express from Christchurch were transferred to a relief train and proceeded to Invercargill, arriving 90 minutes laic.

It was stated to-night that passengers for the north to-morrow would be taken as far as the scene of the accident and transferred to another train. REPAIRS EFFECTED.

Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Sept, 26. In connection with the Edendale derailment, it is stated that repairs to the permanent way were effected during th© night, and the through oxpress to Christchurch left at the usual time. v