A RAILWAY SMASH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13206, 13 February 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

A RAILWAY SMASH.

OCCIDENT TO THE SECOND EXPRESS TRAIN. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, January 31. An accident occurred this evening to tho second express from the south three miles south of Oamaru by which the engine and five cars were derailed. ■ A number of the passengers had perfectly miraculous escapes. As it eventuated, not a passenger or member of the train's crew was hurt, and everyone got off with a shaking. Tho accident occurred just below the Deborah siding, where the train begins to take a stiff bank which brings it up to Waiareka Junction. The speed'here would be something over 20 miles an hour, it being necessary to approach tho bank with a good deal of way on. Apparently the engino tender, or tho first car of the train, mounted tho rail about three chains from where tho engine pulled up, and rattled along the sleepers, tearing up the track. The engine driver (P. C. M'Neill) applied his Westinglionse brake very smartly, and brought the train to a standstill, but tlio impetus on tile rear cars pushed the front- ones right off tho track, and the scene when inspected was an amazing confusion. Two cars had been thrust right off the track, so that they burst through tho fence, and are lying partly on a district road which runs alongside the line. It was this ;bat saved theso cars, and possibly the two in the rear, from telescoping. Had it not been'for. this and the smart application of the brake the accident must have had appalling results.

Tho train consisted of eight passenger cars, the refreshment car, and the guard's van, in' charge of Guard S, Twose. The engino nulled up with the bogey, wheels Ftiil on "the track, but badly strained and twisted, tho rear wheels being about 2ft off tho plaoe where the rails should be. Tho tender lies at about the same angle, half heeled ovor, with the bogeys showing up clearly and a. good deal of coal on the low side of the track. Behind this the first passenger car, an American second-class car, lies flat on its sido at an angle of 45 degrees to tho track. Three young men occupied compartments of this carriage, and they considered themselves lucky to bo able to scramble out of the windows without requiring assistance or surgical attendance. The next car was a oar of colonial make, divided into first and second-class compartments. Tho leading compartment (secondclass) contained throe passengers—two gentlemen and a lady. They escaped with a •severe.shaking, though one of the men had a, much moro exciting escape than the others. He was dozing calmly in the corner nearest the leading door, when suddenly he was thrown to the opposite side of the carriage witli a series of jolts that ended ■roth the platform of the preceding car (suddenly coming through the ■window where Jie had an instant before been sitting. "When it camo to rest tho carriage lay at exactly right angles to the track and with the track. The first ear, the engine, and the previously existing track formed an obtuse right angle triangle. It was the departure of these cars from'the track that saved them from teiescoping. for there remained just sufficient room for the rest of the train to pull up. In the rear (first-class) part of the combined car were a gentleman, his "wife, and cnildrcn all of whom were tossed about, and a young couple on tboir honeymoon trip commenced their married life with this added interest of an pscape in a railway accident. A second class smoker containing about lialf a dozen passengers wa6 tlie next car. Its position after tbe accident was like the others on the left side of the lino, the front resting in the centre of the track, but tho rest inclining, at about 15 degrees off the line and down the bank. As it lay thus tilted, to walk along it was to «xpenence the nearest to the sensation of soa-sickncss that dry land could afford. The passengers got off scathless, but a newspaper boy named Anderson, standing on tho front platform, was thrown clean off, and had to bo thankful thai tho train pulled, up so smartly. In the next car—a first class smoker—tltero were about a dozen passengers, mostly commercial travellers. One of them received tbe only abrasion that the wbolc of the passengers could point to. It was smaller than a threepenny piece, on tbe back of tho hand, and was caused by* a falling portmanteau. The refreshment car lay with the rear bogey wheels almost on the rails and the other end was about three ftet off. Tbo crockery, of course, suffered somewhat by t|ie sudden stoppage. The next car—a birdcage—kept the raiis." Its rear wheels are resting on tho spot whore tho first mark was observable of the wheels leaving the track, and its leading wheelsjust at the plaoe where the lino now eiids. From this spot to the front of tho engiue the track is a jumble-of iron rails, splintered sleepers, and ballast. All the fivo cars that are derailed have thoir wheels deeply buried in the shingle, except those that ran so far off as to sink into the soft earth. Where the leading cars f«H Aff Jifi bajfet .tbsjgwtb .is. Stft up.ifl.--

' all directions, testifying to tlio marvellous escape whic)i all had. Everything was done to minimise the inconvenience by the station staff here. A special train was despatched from Oamaru, and to it the passengers' luggage anil mails were transferred. A substitute express ieft. Oamaru an hour and three-quarters behind time. The passengers by tho second expr-jis from the north were transferred here to a train which took them to the scene of the accident, where they passed along to t.ic afternoon Dunedm to Oanmru train, which proceeded with them about two hours late; while the passengers on this train were, brought into Oamaru by the special mentioned. The goods train, Oamaru to Vilmerston, did not get through. A large number of people went out to tho seeue of the accident, many walking, and a large number cycling, while others tooks cabs and drags. A large gang of men under Inspector Day, was quickly concentrated at tho spot, and the work of cleavin««■ the wreckage will go on all night, though there will not ho much chance of clearing tlio line till the large crane arrives from Dunedm, which should bo early to-morrow morning.

■n . February 1, m Tn'V w , or kiiig all night and keeping a ballast tram and a gang of 20 men B °. m , g ,. ," a ™ communication by rail was established at an early hour this morning. Credit is duo to the statiomnastcr and his st-ait for their management of the traffic, and to the Permanent Way Department for the organisation which enabled a rapid concentration. A loop line was laid past the. wrecked train, some 3ft of formation being necessary m order to bring the temporaryfine up to the track level. It was an add?tioiial kind disponsatioii of ficklo Foriuuo that the wrecked carriages all took to tho side of the lino on which there was the least fall. The ballast had fortunately'been trucked at Hilderthonm on Tuesday afternoon, and this was sent to the. scone of the accident. The temporary line was laid m less than seven hours, and the night goods train from Duncdin passed along at 7 9'clock this morning, other trains following at intervals, though the pace was oidy two or three miles an hour over the weak snot.