FATAL TRAIN SMASH

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12264, 9 October 1925, Page 4

FATAL TRAIN SMASH

(COMMISSION OF INQUIRY HEARS EVIDENCE AT WELLINGTON

WHAT CAUSED DERAILMENT? COUNSEL FOR ENGINE-DRIVER RAISES OBJECTION The inquiry into the recent accident to the WellingtonNapier Express at Opapa opened its sittings at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Mr W. G. Riddell. S.M., presided, and associated with him were Messrs J. Marchbanks (engineer to the Wellington Harbour Board) and W. D. Hunt (manager of the Wellington branch of Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd.). The commissioners are asked to report:— 1. What was the cause of the derailment of the Welling-ton-Napier express train near Gpapa station on September 22nd, 1925? 2. Are there any circumstances in connection with the •aid derailment which, in your cpinion, call for comment?

The Railway Department was represented by Messrs M. Myers, K.C., and M. Dennehy (solicitor for the department) ; Mr P. J. O’Regan appeared for the relatives of Edward Vivian Iggulden, deceased, late of Wairoa; and Sir A. Melville on behalf of the Amal gamated Society of Railway Servants. Mr Riddell said that the commissioners had inspected the scene, but owing to the engine-driver being prevented , from attending through in jurieSj they had decided to hear only technical evidence, and then adjourn the inquiry until the driver oould be present. Mr Myers said that it would not be proper for him to make any remarks at the present stage as such observations might do an injustice to the enginedriver who was unable to be present. Howeyer, he wished to say that he had been instructed by the department to do everything possible in the interests of the public and not to cover up the fault of. any individual. He was not' suggesting, however, that anyone was at fault. Sir Dolan, of Napier, was appearing for the engine-driver, and had objected to any evidence being called before he was able to be present, but the speaker could not agree with this course. However, he would only call genejral evidence that could not prejudice; the ; engine-driver, who would also have the right of recalling the witnesses. ENGINEER VIEWS SCENE Frederick Charles Widdup, chief engineer of the New Zealand railways, said that he first heard of the accident at §_o’dock on the day of the accident. He immediately dispatched the district engineer and Mr R. Casey, the second engineer, and he himself went up the following day. The accident accurred on a curve of seven chains radius in the vicinity of the 84i-mile peg from Palmerston. He inspected the scene, and described the amount of damage. Mr Myers: At what point of the curve did the engine go off? Witness: Well round the curve. Mr Myers: On the flat or on the slope ? Witness: On the curve. He went on to say that he examined the track up to the point of derailment, and had examined the rails and sleepers. In fact, he made a genetal examination of the line frctm the mark

where the engine went off to well up the grade. He carefully looked for any sign of obstruction, but did not see anything of that nature. The line for a long way hack was found to be m sound order, and he could see nothing in the condition of the track that could contribute to the accident. TRACK IN GOOD ORDER The track was true to gauge, well ballasted, the rails showed very little wear, the fastenings tight and regular, and in fact it was a sound piece ,of track. He could not form any idea of the condition of the line from the place where the train left the line as the track had been badly damaged. Witness produced plans of the track before and after the accident, and also two photographs of the engine. The train had consisted of a class A engine, seven cars, a guard’s yan and a postal van. Mr Myers: What was the grade of the track? Witness: One in 46. Mr Myers: Is there not some board at the approach of the curve indicating the radius of the curve? Witness: Well, m front of the curve. Mr Myers: You saw the board after the accident ? .Witness: Yes. SPEEDS ROUNDING CORNERS Mr Myers: In the interests of saferunning, you prepare maximum running speeds for curves of this nature? Witness: Yes. Mr Myers: Is not this maximum laid down in the rules of the department? Witness: Yes. What is the maximum in respect to curves of 7 to 7J chains radius?—The speeds are founded on both practical and theoretical experiences and calculations. Theoretically the speed varies as, the square root of the radius, the reason being that the forces tending to overturn or derail a train varied as the square root of the speed or inversely as the radius. This has been fixed also in other countries that had the same gauge. Mr Myers: What is the maximum speed in this curvs? Witness: 25 miles per hour. How long has this been in operjstion ?—Eleven or twelve years from my knowledge. Not many months ago there was an alteration in the timetables, so that the Wellington-Napier express now takes less time?—That is so. Were there any alterations made in the maximum speed round curves? —No. Does your experience show the speed as a safe maximum?—Yes. To Mr Marchbanks: Witness considered that the full cant of inches was sufficient for i speed of 25 miles per hour. Mr Marchbanks: What steps can be taken to check the speed so that it will not be exceeded? Witness: By cheekOng the timetables and relying on the driver. PREVIOUS ACCIDENT Mr Marchbanks: Wasn’t there a previous derailment in this curve? Witness: Yes. There was a derailment of part of a goods train on February 20th, 1020. The train was one of two engines, 17 wagons and a van. and the accident happened two chains from the present one. Tho engine and first five carriages were not derailed or damaged. The sixth, a sheep wagon, left the rails which were in good running order. From the evidence taken it was found that excessive speed had been the chief factor in the case of the derailment. Mr Marchbanks; Apparently this is a bad piece of track as there is a j

steep curve and a steep grade. Would it improve the cutting to set it back? Witness: Yes, if the curve is eased it will he improved. Mr Marchbanks: Would it be any advantage to have guarded rails? Witness: Yes. Mr Marchbanks: You are satisfied with the condition of the track? Witness: Yes, it is in good running order. Charles Theodore Jeffries, district engineer for the Wellington district, said that the track was frequently inspected by the inspector of permanent way. Under him was the ganger who was to either inspect the track daily himself or instruct one of the surfacemen to do so. The ganger must make a personal inspection at least once a week. Witness described the scene of the accident, and stated that he had made a thorough inspection of the track. There . Had been no telescoping, and this had been because the second and third carriages had derailed _to the left-hand side and had swung into the bank. The rails in the line were British standard, and a section of the line was produced in court. NO OBSTRUCTION ON LINE Mr Myers: Did you find anything in the nature of an obstruction on the line ?—No. Mr Marchbanks: Has there been any difficulty in keeping this line in order?—No. Mr Marchbanks: What steps are taken to see that the maximum speed is not exceeded? —If there is any indication it is reported by the inspector. Mr Marchbanks: Does this occur frequently ?—Occasionally I find that a driver has exceeded the speed limit. Mr Marchbanks: With so many varying curves, isn’t it difficult to keep the maximum speed?—-The drivers know the line well. Mr Riddell: You -agree with Mr Widdup that it would improve the track to set the cutting hack?—Yes. Alexander Smilie Wansborongh, designing engineer of the New Zealand railways, said that before the speed of a train could he alternating

there had to he an agreement amongst the traffic, locomotive, and engineering branches of the service. Tn regard to speeds, the following had been laid down, and had been in force for some time:—On straight and easy curves. 45 miles per 'hour: 13-chain curve and under 16, 40 m.p.h.; 11 and under 13. 35 m.p.h. : 9 and under 12, 30 m.p.h.; under 9 chains, 25 m.p.h. There were also snecial restrictions. Not more than 20 m.p.h. was allowed through the Manawatn gorge. 20 m.p.h. over the Ormondville viaduct, and 15 m.p.h. ever Sales street, Napier. METHOD OF INSPECTING LINE William Alexander Gordon, inspector of permanent ways, residing at Palmerston North, said that he been 35 years on the railway in the maintenance branch, and had, prior to being promoted tr the rank of inspector, been a ganger and a surfaceman. He inspected the line on an average of once a fortnight. Mr Marchbanksls there any difficulty in keeping the line in order? Witness: No. Oscar Richard Savage, ganger at Opapa, said that he covered a distance of six miles, which included the section on which the fatality took place. He had been fourteen years in the department, and had been a ganger on this particular section for three years. His duties were to keep the line in thorough repair, and he had three surfacemen to assist him. Mr Myers: I take it you have to keep the line under vigilant observation ? Witness: Yes. Mr Myers: How often do you inspect it? Witness: I inspect every week myself, but it is inspected every day by one of the surfacemen. , Mr Myers: Rule 307 says—“ Except where other special instructions ake issued, each length must be inspected on foot or by velocipede every weekday; also on Sundays when passenger trains are run. During stormy weather or heavy rains, where there is a likelihood of floods or damage to the line, the inspection of the length must be made before the first train enters on it in the morning, whether before or after daylight. The ganger must either do this himself or specially appoint one or more trustworthy and experienced men of his gang to do this duty. He must satisfy himself that the inspection by his men is properly done, and report every case of neglect. Once in every week the ganger must presumably inspect the whole of liis length.’’ Has this rule been carried out? Witness: Yes. i Mr Myers; (Then did you last personally inspect tifb lino?. Witness: The day before. Mr Myers: And it was inspected that morning?—Yes. Was everything all right?—Yes. Mr Marchbanks: Have you had any difficulty with this curve? Witness: No, it has not caused any trouble. Mr Riddell: Have you had any com.plaints of the curve higher up? Witness: No. Donald Martin Morrison, train examiner, stationed at Waipukurau, said that he had been carrying out these duties for nearly sixteen years. Ho said that it was his duty to examine every train that left the station, and see that it was in good running order. lie had examined the train on the day of the accident while it was drawn up at Waipukurau, and had found everything in good order. Richard William Joseph Dixon, brake inspector for the North Island, said llmt he inspected the Wostinghouse biakes on the train after the accident.

and his conclusion was that the brakes were acting all right. SPEEDING UP THE TRAINS Alfred Kinsella Harris, general superintendent of transportation, said that ho had been forty-one years in the department. Tho time-table between Wellington and Napier had been altered in March last. He had been consulted about the change, which was brought about with a view to giving a better service. Mr Myers: Tho change was made after a consultation amongst the various officers of the branches?—Yes. Mr Myers: It is a fact that the time of the journey was shortened ?—Yes, under the old time-table it was 8 hours 49 minutes, and under the new 7 hours lo minutes. Mr Myers: Do you have the same time-table throughout the year?— No; we have summer and winter timetables. It takes longer in the summer when the trains are heavier. Mr Myers: How was the speeding up done?—We cut out nineteen of the old stops which we considered did not warrant their existence. Mr Myers: What is the minimum, time lost at a stop?—Three minutes. Mr Myers: Were there any other factors in reducing the stops? Witness: Y T es. AVe cut down the time at some of the stations. He went .on to say that the weight of the trains had been reduced, and tlio engine was also of greater capacity. They had kept within the speed authorised by the old time-table. This applied to both straight runs and curves, under the old timetable the train left Wellington at 9.10 a.m., arrived at Palmerston, North at 12.41, and at Napier at 6.1. Tinder the new time-table she left Wellington at 9.35 a.m., arrived at Palmerston at 12.17, and at Napier at 5.1. This cut down the journey from Wellington to Palmerston North from 3 hours 31 minutes to 2 hours 42 minutes. ARRANGEMENT WITH WHOM? Mr Myers: It is a non-stop run ? Witness: No. There is a 6top at LeMr Myers: To pass a train? Witness (smiling): No. By arrangement. The other railwaymen in tho court also appreciated the “mysterious” joke. Continuing, the witness said that 45 minutes had been saved from Palmerston North to Napier. Mr Myers: The danger is precisely the same as it was in years past? Witness: Yes. The speed on the curves is just the same. Mr Myers: But on some sections of the line the speed is now nearer that authorised? Witness: Yes. , Mr Marchbanks: Have you any difficulty in running to time? Witness: No, fairly well. Mr Marchbanks: When the train is running late, are they to make up time ? Witness: No. They may be asked to explain why tho time was lost, but they are not encouraged to make it up ? Mr Marchbanks: Have you had any complaints in regard to speed? Witness: No. At this stage the commission adjourned until 10.30 this morning.