RAILWAY COLLISION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23970, 21 May 1941, Page 8

RAILWAY COLLISION

ELECTRIC UNITS DAMAGED SERVICE DISORGANISED [BV TELEGRAPH- PRESS ASSOCIATION"] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Severe damage was done to two electric units in a collision on the .Johnsonville line shortly before seven o'clock this morning. The collision occurred through a goods train which stalled on the way up the hill holding up the following electric unit, into the tail of which another crashed. Each unit consisted of two cars. The back of the stationary unit was badly smashed up, and the buckling effect on the whole car was apparent in the twisted metal panels and broken windows along the sides. The front compartment of the other unit was forced hack, but fortunately not far enough to injure the driver, the side opposite to which he was seated taking the full force. Here the front seat was forced up and back and covered with splintered material and broken glass. Other seats in the car were twisted and the metal flooring was forced up. Both units were almost empty, being outward-bound, and in neither case were any passengers near the most knocked about portions of the cars. The collision disorganised the service, and city-bound workers had to he transported by bus, although by the time these were available many people had already called taxis.