A KUNAWAY TRAIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7452, 29 May 1911, Page 1

A KUNAWAY TRAIN

REWARDS FOR PROMPTITUDE MAIN TRUNK EXPRESS ENDANGERED. The Government has presented Mr R. Claude, of Westfield, ; near Auckland, with JKO as a reward for his prompt and capable action in stopping a runaway train on tho night of April 17th, thus saving tho Main Trunk express from the possibility of a collision. ■ The express from Auckland to ‘Wellington commenced its journey nt 9.15 p.m. A local train left Auckland ahead of it, and was shunted upon a siding at Otahuhn. When the engine was uncoupled, the four carriages and a van by some unexplained means got away from tbe guard’s control, and ran back down a slight incline on to the main line, and in tho direction, of Auckland. As the express was nearly due, tho detached engine whistled vigorously as an alarm, and. this attracted Mr Claude’s attention. Ho saw the express running in one direction. and the runaway carnages—in which there wore two passengers—in the other. Ho acted with promptitude and coolness, running on to the hue and boarding the runaway tram. He knew how to put on the Westinghouso brake, and thus brought it promptly to a standstill. Then he took a red tail-light- and waved it in view of the express, which pulled up three chains from the runaway. There were several hundred paseeugrs on the express, and the Governor was travelling in his special carriage next to tho engine. The departmental , inquiry into the affair indicated that the- express enginedriver had seen the other train and pulled, up befoi-o Mr Claude displayed the red light. Ho. has, therefore,. been granted a AllO, bonus.,for,keeping a good lookout.