RUNAWAY TRUCKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 8

RUNAWAY TRUCKS

BREAKAWAY FROM TRAIN DASH THROUGH STATION SWITCHED ON TO DEAD END DRIVER'S WARNING SIGNALS* [BT TELEGRAPH PKESS ASSOCIATION-] NEW PLYMOUTH, Wednesday A special goods train which leffc Stratford for New Plymouth shortly before six o'clock this, morning parted in two when on the way to Jlidhirst, and the rear part of the train raced back to Stratford, where it passed through the station yard at a speed estimated at about 40 miles an hour and finally ran over the end of the rails on a "dead end" off the main line eastward.

The train, which was a fairly heavy one, experienced some difficulty in negotiating the steep incline. This was partly due to the greasy rails and it is also thought there might have been some trouble with the brakes. A stop was made between Stratford and Midhirst, and the guard went along to inspect the fore part of the train.

A fresh start was then made, and a coupling near the back of the train gave way. Four trucks and the guard's van dashed back toward Stratford. The guard was unable to do anything to stop them. All that could be done was for the driver, to give warning signals with the engine whistle, which attracted the attention of officials at the Stratford station.

Change of Line Negotiated The runaway gathered speed as it ran down the 2} miles incline to Stratford. On the other side of the station, near the signal box, there is a loopline for the east railway. Fortunately the points were open for tho despatch of the early morning train, which was already made up in the yard. The runaway negotiated the change of line in a twinkling and continued on tha down grade and up a rise of over half a mile. At the end of the line tha van, propelled by the loaded waggons, came to rest about 30 yards from the rails. Two waggons also ran off, their wheels ploughing over two feet deep into the loose earth. The remaining two were later removed undamaged. It is estimated the weight of the loaded waggons was 30 tons.

Cause of the Accident The escape from serious accident was most fortunate, as a few minutes previously the engine of the train for the east was on the main line in the course of making up the train. This work had been completed on the loop, and Mr. F. McCalman, who was in charge of the station, was giving instructions to the driver when his attention was attracted by the noise of the engine whistling. Very shortly afterwards the runaway appeared around the bend to the north, the miles from the scene of the mishap having been travelled in a few minutes.

The turning of the runaway trucks and the van on to the dead end was most fortunate. Otherwise they might have piled up on the main line and have caused considerable damage ami perhaps delay to through traffic. It is thought that when the coupling gave way one of the side chains must have struck the tap of the Westinghouse brake system and put it out of action. Otherwise this safety device would have automatically stopped the runaway portion of the train, or if the guard had been in the van he could have controlled the detached trucks.