HOW THE IMPACT OCCURRED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8441, 29 May 1913, Page 7

HOW THE IMPACT OCCURRED

AN ENGINE-DRIVERS’ VERSION. Now Lynn station is situated just ten miles from Auckland, on tho North Auckland line. Tho econo of the accident is about 300 yards above tho station. Tho bridge on which tho collision took place is about 40 feet long, and tho creek is between 40 foot and 50 feet below. Had tho cars gone over the bridge, which has no parapets, tho accident would have boon followed by far more terrible consequences. J. Benny, an engine-driver-of fourteen years’ experience, who was with tho fireman in the engine-box on the outward bound train, in speaking of tho accident, remarked that tho whole thing happened so quickly that he had only a low seconds to decide what to do. After he caught sight of the other train as it showed up through tho fog and dashed over, the bridge to collision, my train (tho 5-25 a.m. goods from Auckland) was RUNNING RIGHT UP TO TIME,” ho said, “ and tho tablet picked up at Avondale was dropped at New Lynn. After taking water we went up as usual past the station towards the bridge in order to back on to tho siding to let tho passenger train through to Auckland. It was just before tho engine had left the bridge, and as I was about

to reverse tho engine gear to shunt back on to the siding, that I saw the other train coming. My mate noticed it at tho same time, and wo made a simultaneous shout of warning. Our train had commenced to move back very slowly, but in order to offer as little resistance as possible when tho smash came, I gave the engine full reversing steam, and wo had got two or three car lengths when the engines met."

Benny is of opinion that had not his train boon moving back at the time of tho collision the smash would have been a great deal more senous. There were twelve trucks laden with general goods, a covered van, and a guard’s van behind the engine of the outr-going train. As the result of tho collision tho puffers and draw gear between tho vehicles were damaged, and the contents of tho tracks suffered some hurt. Except for the damage to the engines no harm was done. Otherwise the effect of the accident was to cause stoppage of traffic on the lines for about seven hours, tho wreckage being cleared away by about 2 p,m.