COACHES WRECKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23106, 3 August 1938, Page 14

COACHES WRECKED

TWO TRAINS INVOLVED | NO ONE HURT IN ACCIDENT STATIONARY CARRIAGES STRUCK TAKANINI STATION CRASH Struck by the engine of a suburban passenger train which was on tho same line, two empty carriages and a guard's van at tho back of a stationary goods train were completely telescoped at tho northern extremity of tho Tnkanini station yards shortly after two o'clock yesterday afternoon. Thoro were no passengers in tho wrecked cars arid, although the locomotive of the suburban train was partially buried in the wreckage of the guard's van, it did not leave tho rails, and the engine crew was unhurt. Tho collision occurred almost directly on tho level crossing which cuts across the road leading from tho Great South Road to the Takanini Post Office, about three miles north of Papakura. Tho goods train, which had loft Auckland at 12.5 p.m. for Franktoil, was standing for about half an hour at Takanini while shunting proceeded, the last units in tho long line of trucks and carriages - being about 200 yards north of tho station.

Application o! Brakes No official explanation as to tho cause of tho accident was furnished yesterday, but several Takanini residents heard the suburban train approaching along the straight stretch of track between Mahia and Takanini. Almost co-incident with the time when the engine turned a slight bend which brings the Takanini station into view for south-bound traffic, tho train rapidly reduced speed. However, tho use of maximum braking power could not avert a collision and, although tho train was actually travelling slowly when tho impatft occurred, tho wooden cars at the back of tho stationary train smashed like matchwood.

Crumpling into a mass of twisted iron and splintered woodwork tho unoccupied guard's van was reduced to less than a shell, the top and portion of the battered sides being wrapped around tho engine almost as far back as the cab. Tho two preceding carriages were also telescoped. As one was forced through the other seats and fittings were stripped from their mountings, the floor and chassis were torn from the bodywork and tho wreckage of tho top and sides of the foremost coach hung from tho roof of the carriage behind it.

Escape of Children Sections of tho wooden cars were reduced to firewood, and even staunch iron stanchions and the heavy steel members of the chassis of the carriages were twisted and snapped. Tho chaos was increased by the litter of small debris which lay between the telescoped van and carriages.

Tho front portion of tho engine was fairly extensively damaged, but the threo carriages which it was drawing were not affected by the collision. Included among tho passengers on the suburban train were 20 schoolchildren returning to Takanini after attending the fortnightly annual training classes at the Otahuhu Technical School. Although all escaped even slight injury, a '.number who were travelling in the second car from the engine were flung from their seats on to the floor when the impact occurred. "I don't think any of us noticed anything until the actual smash," one of the children said. "Suddenly there was a big bump and the next thing we knew was that some of us were on the floor. Ono girl was thrown right into the air. It really did not give us very much of a fright and I do not think there was anyone even bruised." Clearing ol the Line

Five trotting horses from Takanini which were being sent south for the Aldington meeting were in the forward part of the stationary train. They were uninjured and continued the journey to Wellington en route to the South Island later in tho afternoon. The sulkies and other equipment transported for the team were undamaged. As the collision occurred on a section of tho lino where a double track is used, no serious dislocation of main trunk traffic resulted. Within a very short time wreckage was cleared from the up line, and, with tho arrival at three o'clock of Mr. H. C. Couch, district traffic manager of railways, and other executive officers, preparations were made to remove the telescoped rolling stock from the other track. It was a co-incidence that the heavyduty, mobile crane used by the department in emergencies should be included in tho rolling stock drawn by the goods train that wa3 struck and it was immediately shunted on to a siding to raise steam. A breakdown gang was also despatched from Auckland, and, oxy-acetylene torches were employed to cut through sections of the twisted steel so that the removal of the damaged coaches could be facilitated.

Delays to Expresses With the assistance of tho crano and powerful jacks, the work was continued after nightfall. It was found necessary to cut some of the bogeys and undercarriage from 'the wreckage, but shortly after 8.30 p.m. it was possible for the disabled engino and tho telescoped cars to be drawn to Otahuliu, thus leaving both lines clear for traffic. Two expresses were delayed for about 45 minutes. The afternoon train to Wellington was dotained at Manurewa until the line was clear, while the northbound express from Rotorua was held at Papakura. Some interruption was also caused to tho normal suburban timetable, which is to a degree dependant upon the doublo track, but there was no delay to tho southbound limited, express last night. ( A departmental inquiry will bo held into tho collision.