CROSSING CRASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22723, 8 May 1937, Page 12

CROSSING CRASH

RAIL-CAR AND MOTOR ONE YOUTH KILLED COMPANION IN HOSPITAL SMALL VEHICLE WRECKED [by TELKCUAPM —I'ItKSS ASSOCIATION] MASTERTON. Friday A five-seatcr motor-car was smashed to matchwood and the two occupants were injured, one fatally and the other seriously, in. a level crossing collision with a. south-bound rail-car at Anderson's line, half a mile north of the Carterton Railway Station this afternoon. The victims were: — Killed Patrick Ryan, aged about 16 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. I'. F. Ryan, of Kuripuni, Masterton. Injured Frank Archer, aged 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Archer, Anderson's Line. Carterton. Both youths wore employed by a firm at Masterton, Ryan only having been employed for two days. The rail-car involved was the Arawa, a combination luggage and passenger vehicle, running between Cross Creek and Masterton. It was driven by Mr. T. Long, of Cross Creek, and with Mr. John Hopkinson, of Cross Creek, as conductor, left Masterton for Cross Creek at 4.13 p.m. Force of the Impact The accident occurred at 4.29 p.m. at a level crossing iu Anderson's Line, which runs off the main Carterton-Mas-terton road alongside Booth's mill. The motor-car, which was driven by Archer, was travelling east toward the main road. The rail-car struck the other vehicle in the middle on the left-hand side. The motor-car was carried across tho cattle stop and for a distance of 45 yards along the permanent way. The car was reduced to a mangled mass, wreckage being strewn over a fairly wide area.

The two occupants of the motor-car were thrown out of the wrecked vehicle and were found lying near the rails at the rear of tho rail-car. Rail-car Passengers Escape Part of the motor-car was wedged under the front of the rail-car and some difficulty was experienced in clearing the rails. The rail-car was only slightly damaged, glass in tho front windows being smashed. It was later able to proceed south under its own power. The crew and the nine or ten passengers escaped without a scratch and the vehicle did not leave the rails. The crash was heard for some distance, and assistance, both from the rail-car and near by residents, was quickly available. The injured youths were sent to the Greytown Hospital in an ambulance. Pyan had suffered extensive head injuries and died about 8.30 p.m. without regaining consciousness. Archer suffered a fracture of the collarbone and other injuries.