STRANGE RAILWAY ACCIDENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7025, 13 January 1910, Page 6

STRANGE RAILWAY ACCIDENT

SPECIAL TO THE " TIMES.” CHRISTCHURCH, January 12. An extraordinary railway accident occurred about 6.30 p.m. to-day at No. 2 wharf at Lyttelton. Three "1C” waggons coupled to an engine were being shunted on to the wharf, in readiness for receiving luggage from the Muori in the morning. The engine pushed the three waggons at a good speed round the sharp curve leading to the wharf, when * the first waggon jumped the points connecting the two centre lines of rails. The sudden jar caused all the coupling hooks to fly up, thus disconnecting the three waggons and the engine. The first waggon bumped the next one, and then ran right ulong the wharf, the decking of which is flush with the rails. The second waggon, which was heavily bumped by the leading truck, turned round almost at right angles to the track, and ran across,the other roads to the edge of the wharf.

The startled shunter, who was riding on the brake lever, just had time to jump off, when the waggon, which weighs 4 tons 1 cwt 2 qrs, toppled over the edge’of the wharf, and foil on its side on the landing stage. It fell on top of one of the piles on the outer edge of the first platform of the stage, with its end resting hard up against the next pile.

Meanwhile the third waggon ran away along the wharf, and joined the first ‘'derelict.’-’ the two waggons being hauled pack on to the track U few minutes later by the engine. The capsized waggon did not appear to be much damaged, although some of the brake gear underneath was twisted. The services of a crUne will be needed to lift the capsized waggon out of its extraordinary position back on to the rails.