CROSSING TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22721, 6 November 1935, Page 10

CROSSING TRAGEDY

MOTOR CYCLIST KILLED WARNING SIGNALS NOT OBSERVED (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, November 5. A fatal level crossing accident occurred at Glandovey road, Fendalton, early this morning when a motor cyclist. Grant Dethell Duncan, a single man, 25 years of age, crashed into a north-bound workers' train. Duncan suffered severe head injuries in the smash, and died on the way to Christchurch Public Hospital in the St. John Ambulance.

The warning bell and signal were working correctly at the time, but apparently Duncan did not realise that a train was in the vicinity until he was about 50 feet from the line. On approaching the crossing the train tpeed slackened to between 25 and 30 miles an hour. The train Was almost on the crossing, however, before the motor cyclist was noticed, and there was no chance to pull up. The brakes were applied and the train came to a standstill promptly. Houses and trees obscure the view of the line north and south until quite close to the crossing when proceeding west, but the warning bell-is a loud one, and, in addition, a red sign swings backwards and forwards over the middle of the crossing.