RAILWAY MISHAP.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 5

RAILWAY MISHAP.

The accident to the goods train which occurred at Maewa, just north of Feilding, at an early hour on Saturday, was not revealed until the train pulled into the Feilding station, when the condition of two of the bogeys of two cattle trucks each full of cattle, at once suggested that the train had narrowly escaped a serious smash. The engine crew were quite unaware that anything untoward had happened beyond a feeling that the train appeared to bo pulling hard and the explanation of this was soon forthcoming when station officials pointed to the quantity of ballast which had been, thrown up on to the platform. An investigation revealed that some distance before passing the Maewa tablet siding, the front axle of the rear bogey of a "T" cattle wagon had broken. As the train proceeded on one wheel of the broken axle dropped inside the rads and was picked up by the rear bogey of another cattle wagon located about four trucks further back. Tangled up with the gear of this bogpy the wheel bumped about doing considerable damage and did not fall clear again until the train was about to negotiate the. Kimbolton Eoad level crossing. Its position then, lying between the rails, was responsible for damaging the Westinghouse gear on about a dozen trucks as they passed over the disengaged wheel which was eventually tossed aside. The train came to a standstill on the main line and was definitely locked in' this position. Urgent messages were sent out by Mr, Croudis (stationmaster) for relief gangs and these were soon on their way from Wanganui. At daylight the services of drovers were engaged to unload the cattle, numbering just over 100 head of Aberdeen Angus heifers. The engine with three undamaged trucks later proceeded on its way to Palmerston North while a 40-ton crane was requisitioned from AVellington. This arrived shortly after 10 o'clock and throughout the morning the , railway engineering staff and gangers were busy overhauling the track and moving the damaged wagons.