RAILWAY COLLISION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 604, 9 April 1878, Page 2

RAILWAY COLLISION.

A collision of a soinewli.it serious nature, but which fortunately was not attended with such disastrous results as it might have been, occurred about 3 o'clock to-day on the .Main South line. The breakwater engine was shunting a number of waggons containing machinery, and it had just got on to the main line, when the special train from Teaneraki, loaded with grain, was observed coming along the line at a rapid rate. The driver" of the breakwater engine went at full speed in order- to get away from the approaching train, but failed to avoid a collision. The driver of the special train was unable to pull up, owing to the speed at which he was going and the heavy incline. Although steam was shut off and the break the engine ran, into ..the .last wagon of the other train, containing a'threshing machine, the result being that the- machine was considerably damaged, as was also the colliding engine. The fireman of the engine jumped off just before the collision occurred, and escaped with a few scratches. The driver was thrown off when the collision took place, but fortunately did not. receive any injuries, A number of men who were riding on the second wa»on were thrown by the shock on to the first wagon, but were not hurt. A considerable number of the sacks of grain were thrown off the wagons on to the line and damaged by being passed over by the. train. It is really wonderful that the accident was not attended by far more serious results. The drivers are deserving of credit for the manner in which they stuck to their engines, and for their efforts'to avoid a serious collision.