DERAILMENT OF ENGINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 10

DERAILMENT OF ENGINE

TRAIN RUNS INTO HORSES ACCIDENT DURING THICK FOG [EX TELEGRAPH PRESS ASmXTATIOX] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday Two excursion trains for the West Coast were delayed in the early hours of yesterday morning owing to the derailment of the engine of the first train, which ran into a mob of horses near Annat, 40 miles west from Christchurch. There was a thick fog, and the guard raced back half-a-mile and placed detonators on the line to warn the second train. 1 It was discovered that the front bogie of the engine had been derailed, but the track was only slightly damaged. The train crew were assisted by passengers in replacing the engine on the line.

A feature of the accident was the narrow escape of Mr. A. W. Morris, inspector of the permanent way. When word of the mishap was received at Springfield, Mr. Morris left on an electric jigger, followed by Mr. R. Clark on a similar machine. Suddenly Mr. Morris was confronted with the" light of the engine, which had got under way much quicker than was expected. The fog had made visibility bad. Mr. Morris had time only to fling himself clear before the jigger was reduced to matchwood. Mr. Clark had time to get his machine off the line.

The train, which was already an hour and twenty minutes lat§, left without further delay and made up some lost time before it reached Greymouth.