“Roughest Journey He Ever Had”

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 222, 18 September 1943, Page 4

“Roughest Journey He Ever Had”

EVIDENCE IN ENGINEDRIVER’S MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE DUNEDIN, Sept. 17. The Lower Court proceedings in the manslaughter charge against John Patrick Alphonsus Corcoran, driver of the train derailed near Hyde with, heavy casualties on June 4, was continued this morning. George Stewart James Read, assistant locomotive engineer, of Dunedin, continuing his evidence, stated that au examination of the locomotive and tender after the accident revealed nothing likely to have caused the mishap. The same applied to the carriages and van. Every locomotive was inspected weekly and all trains before departure were carefully examined. A further examination in the case of Central Otago trains was made at Ranfurly, and it was the guard’s duty to make a brake test before leaving Cromwell, and the duty’ of the driver to make a thorough test of the engine before the day’s work. If the train were running late the driver was expected to recover the lost time as far as possible, but in no case to exceed the speed limits imposed. Witness had to make calculations on the question of the overturning speed on curves 9.88 chains with a cant of 2}in. and on curves of 7.33 chains with a cant of 2 3-Bin., these representing the cant of 10 chain curves in the present case. Tn the first case the lowest speed at which derailment was likely would be 59 miles per hour, and in the second case 50.4 miles per hour. Witness wouldn’t expect overturning at any lower speed unless there was a serious detect in the engine or tender. Robert Pratt, guard, said he and the driver had three beers at a bar soon after rising. Shortly after passing over a bridge on the Middlemarch side of Hyde the van gave a lurch and the crash followed shortly after. At no time had witness thought it necessary to apply the eraergeuev brake. Dorothy Isabel Robinson, porteress, said that when she returned from making a check of the train after leaving Ivokonga she noticed certain luggago had shifted from one side of the van to the other. Witness was proceeding to add that she noticed the train was rocking considerably when she fainted and was carried from the Court. James Burns Cairns, barman at the RanfurJv Hotel, said accused had fiv# drinks while witness was in the bar. Trevor Lewellvn Thomas, licensee of the hotel, deposed that accused had two shandies after witness relieved the barman. Witness also served accused aud another man with a drink each at lunch. After the luncheon adjournment witnesses, including a surfaceman aud several passengers who travel regularly on the Central Otago route, gave evidence that the speed between station# before the crash occurred was considerably greater than normal. The carriages were swaying to such an extent that the passengers were unable to read. One elderly person who said ho had been travelling on the line since he was a boy, stated that it was the first time he had ever felt nervous, and another who had been travelling for many years considered it was tho roughest journey’ he had ever had. The hearing was adjourned till Monday.