TRUCKS DERAILED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22349, 21 February 1936, Page 12

TRUCKS DERAILED

CIBCUS TRAIN MISHAP ELEPHANT WAGGON CAPSIZES ANIMALS ASSIST WORKMEN An elephant bored with railway travelling is thought to be a possible cause of three waggons of a special circus train being derailed at Waikino, near Waihi, yesterday morning. The train, which was going from Thames to Tauranga, was about to enter the Wfiildno station at 5.15 a.m. when a truck, containing a large elephant, capsized and the wheels of two adjoining waggons. conta;nuig smaller elephants, left the rails. None of the animals was hurt, and they showed their indifference to the mLsliap by helping a gang of railway workers from Waikino to drag the ca'jv sized waggon clear of the track and to replace the other two on the lines. The waggon which Ml over was damaged and was replaced with another. The track was not damaged and only an hour's delay was caused. The only other traffic affected was the first train from Paeroa to Tauranga, which leaves at 6.25 a.m. It was held up for about an hour.

Six years ago a waggon with an elephant in it was derailed near the sanie place. It. was decided in that case that the elephant had set up a waving motion in the waggon, causing it to leave the lines, which proceed over this part of the route on .an upgrade and in a series of fairly sharp curves. It is thought possible that the same thing has happened again, for elephants are known to Ik? restless travellers, with a curious habit of "marking time" and throwing their weight from one foot to another. One elephant travelling on the New Zealand railways entertained itself by unscrewing a certain nut in its waggon, although it was tightened repeatedly. In the end the nut had to be made a fixture.

Although the large elephant left Waikino after the accident in another truck it was not taken right on to Tauranga with the rest of the circus, but was left temporarily at Waihi. In the afternoon a breakdown train with a crane left Frankton to replace the capsized waggon on the rails and an official went from Auckland to inspect the scene.