YEAR'S MISHAPS

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

YEAR'S MISHAPS

TOTAL OF THIRTY-SEVEN LOSS OF LIFE IN TWO MANY DERAILMENTS OCCUR Since the beginning of this year 37 railway accidents, in two of which lives have been lost, have occurred in New Zealand. Those figures rofer only to derailments and collisions, and do not take into account crossing accidents or other mishaps. They show that on an average more than one accident a week has occurred on tho railways. The list of mishaps for the year to date is as follows:

January 1. —Three carriages derailed on Rimutaka incline. January 3. —Five trucks derailed at Durham Road, near Now Plymouth. January 4.—Mishap to locomotive at Otiru Tunnel; truck derailed at Pukerua Bay, near Wellington. January s.—Partial derailment of goods waggon near Plimnierton, Wellington, with disruption of services? ' January o.—Partial derailment of waggon near Rimutaka summit. February 9.—Collision between train and jigger in Manawatu Gorge Tunnel. February 14. —Derailment of locomotive near New Plymouth. February 16. —Collision between South Island express and goods train near Dunedin, with two cars derailed. Februarv 23.—Mixed goods train from Hastings to Wellington partially derailed at Mangatera, near Dannevirko. March 12. —Derailment of truck between New Plymouth and Inglewood, with damage to a milo of track. The Ratana Disaster March 26.—Ratana disaster, when Wellington-New Plymouth excursion train was derailed, with the loss of six lives and numerous injuries to passengers. March 29.—Petrol waggon partially derailed ut tho scene of tho Ratana disaster. March 30. —Collision between a mixed train and a goods train at Aylesbury, near Christchurch, resulting in death of fireman. March 31.—Derailment of four waggons at tho Moturoa Wharf, Now Plymouth. April I.—Eleven waggons derailed near Karioi, six miles from Ohakune. April 2. —Truck derailed at Te Horo, near Otaki. April B.—Rake of 21 trucks and carriages smashed at Temuka after runaway of four miles. April 14.—Derailment of truck near Pokeno. April 26. —Derailment of truck at Hamilton railway yards. Damage to Track

May 3. —Derailment of truck and considerable damage to the line at To Roti, Taranaki. May 5. —Derailment- of two trucks near Taupaki, north of Auckland, with damage to about n mile of track.

May 8. —Derailment of freight waggon ' on South Island midnight express near Clarendon, Southland. May 13. —Derailment of three waggons

at Rotorun. May ]6. —Collision between a rake of trucks and a shunting truck at

Rotorun. May 20.—Derailment of engine tender on Napier passenger train at

Palmerston North. May 24. —Derailment of mail van on ' South Island express at Dtinedin. May 29. —Derailment of petrol tank waggon at Whangarei. June 3. —Derailment of engine and mail Van on a passenger train from Henderson between the Paraell Rise overhead bridgo and the Auckland station, with slight damage to track, but no casualties. Recent Accidents

June 5. —Derailment of truck in mixed train at Oamaru. Juno 12.—Derailment of four trucks in a goods train near Tariki, Taranaki, following weakening of the track by a storm. June 29. —Collision of two working locomotives in Quay Street, Auckland. July 13.—: Derailment of stock train in the Kanvarra Gorge, Wellington, following interference to electric track circuits by bad weather. July 14. —Derailment of waggon on a meat train near Invereargill. July 2G.—Partial derailment of engine and two trucks at tho Chalmers Road crossing, Avondale, following interference to a cattlo stop by rain. July 30.—Derailment of 12 trucks on goods train near Waihi through a slip caused by a storm. August 2.—Collision between passenger train and goods train at Takanini, with considerable damage to an engine, guard's van and two conches.