TRAIN TRAGEDY AVERTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18680, 9 April 1924, Page 10

TRAIN TRAGEDY AVERTED.

SLIP ON THE MAIN TRUNK. DRIVER SAVES SITUATION. BRAKES ON JUST IN TIME. DERAILMENT OF ENGINE. MISHAP AT DANGEROUS SPOT The Main Trunk express train, which left Wellington on Monday afternoon, ran into a landslip early yesterday morning near Kopaki, 13 miles south of Te Kuiti, and 21 miles north of Ongar.ue, the scene of a tragic railway disaster last year. All the potentialities of a catastrophe were present in the locality cf the accident, but because of the keen vigilance" of the engine crew and a ready application of the emergency brake at the exact moment, there were fortunately neither casualties, nor extensive damage to rolling stock or permanent way. As a result of this alert action by the driver, Mr. A. E. Blackwell, who, with the same fireman, Mr. N. Miller, similarly averted a serious disaster at Drury two years ago, the engine of the express yesterday alone was derailed, after dragging through a heap of slurry and stones some distance along the inside of a sharp curve. The train was brought to a stop, all standing, save the engine, only two engines' length from the edge of a stoop place overhanging a gully, a drop of 80ft. into the Mokau Gorge. "I thought we were certain to plunge into the gorge," declared Mr, .BlackwelL "The accident occurred at an ugly part in the treacherous, rotten country. It happened at 1.40 a.m. The train was running on a down-grade at 30 miles an hour, there being several sharp curves on the track in tho locality. The night was very dark, but there was no rain.

Sharp Lookout Kept. "We were keeping a sharp lookout all the time, knowing Jhe nature of the papa country and the prevalence of landslips owing to heavy rains. As we iounded a sharp curve. I just got a glimpse of the slip on the track, only an engine's length ahead, and about the height .pf a carriage. I jammed on the emergency brake at ouce and ploughed into the stuff, dragging the train, all standing, for seven carnage lengths. My engine, however, was derailed, but apparently not seriously damaged. There was a jolt, of course, but the way we entered the slip I knew there was no danger "of telescoping the train. Just ahead of uf. was the ledge above the Mokau Gorge. None of the passengers was hurt." Subsequent inspection of the derailment showed that the driving wheels of the engine and the wheels of the tender were off the rails. The engine's bogie wheels remained on, a circumstance which was probably of good service in averting disaster. The engine itself did not appear to be badly damaged, though its cylinder cover was torn off. Many passengers, when they realised the manner in which the train had been taken through a predicament very heartily praised the engine crew for their alert vigilance and precision in emergency. Patrolling the Line. As it happened the landslip was not of heavy proportions, and extended for about a carriage length. The material, hewever, was stiff. There was considerable comment about the necessity for a more comprehensive system of patrolling the line in bad weather than is said to be practised. It is recognised that the papa country is treacherous in very wet weather, and many travellers hold the opinion that the whole track in the danger zone should be patrolled thoroughly in time of floods. The vigilance ot tried and tested engine-drivers is excellent, but the strain upon them should bo distributed to some extent among patrolmen as well. ' It is suggested, too, that several of the small hillocks in the vicinity of the latest derailment might be blasted into the gorge, thus extending the vision of engine-drivers. A relief " train," consisting of one luggage van from Te Kuiti, left for the scene of derailment at 6.30 a.m., and later transferred the delayed passengers to a special service train, which left Te Kuiti at 9.5 a.m., arriving in Auckland at 2.15 p.m., or 7 hours 37 minutes late. The crew of the derailed engine were passengers by the special service train.

Passengers' Experiences. Passengers on the relief train for Auckland were frankly rejoicing in their good hick. Nearly -eight hours had been added to a 17-hour journey and everyone was weary but cheerful, and thankful that all had gone so well. There had been no shock with the derailment of the engine. In fact, many passengers slept through the happening, one man in a sleeper waking to the news over two hours later. The drowsiness of passengers and the little disturbance caused is proved by the fact that only one spoken to could get within 25 minutes of the moment of the accident. A passenger in the carriage next to the mail van immediately behind the engine said there was " not much of a jar," and the train pulled up rapidly, all standing. Three children v. -cd up to five were a/sleep and remained so. . The rocking of the carriage was not enough to displace them. There was no alarm of any kind. Back in the first-class smoker, next to the sleepers, many of the passengers were so. little " fashed " that they never got • ou* to investigate the cause of the sudden stop. The smoker pulled up alongside the slip, which shows that the driver was able to bring his train to a standstill in considerably less than its own length. A passenger described the slip as composed of flaky papa, intermixed with boulders of no great size. In the Mall Van The mail van, directly behind the engine, kept to the rails, despite a fairly severe rocking. Mr. F. A. Osmond, who was at work with two others, says he heard a bang, followed by a grinding sound. The slip had fallen obliquely on the line, otherwise a more serious result might have been expected. Heavy ballasting at this point on the line was also a saving factor. One mailman, Mr. H. Bishop, was left on the scene with parcel and newspaper mail while Mr. Osmond came on with the letter mail on the relief train. The guard, Mr. A. Wallace, said the impact and subsequent events were little felt at the rear of the train. He wished to emphasise the commendable behaviour of all passengers. When advised to do so they returned to their carriages, and at 6.30 a.m. obeyed orders dtiring the transfer to the relief train from Te Kuiti. A light meal was provided there, and after another transfer, th© passengers were en route for Auckland by 9.5. A good meal was ready for them at Frankton. Mr. Wallace* was guard on the train which was delayed at the Karaka slip on Sunday morning last.

LITTLE RAIN AT WAIHI.

MARKED FALL IN CREEKS. COST OF REPAIR WORK. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN* COTtr.ESPONDENT.] WA3BI, Tuesday. There has been an improvement in the weather conditions to-day with comparatively little rain since day-break. Rivers and creeks have receded considerably and unless heavy rain comes again the worst would appear to be over. While Waihi did not suffer to anything like the same extent- as the low-lying districts, the cost of reinstating the gas and water service, damaged bridges and other harm caused by the flood, wOl involve the Waihi Borough Council in the expenditure of several hundreds of pound*,