TRAIN DRIVER KILLED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23393, 7 January 1938, Page 8

TRAIN DRIVER KILLED

LEANING OUT OF CAB STRUCK BY BRIDGE ABUTMENT (Per United Press Association) GREYMOUTH, Jan. 6. Joseph Mowley Mosley, aged 38, a railway locomotive driver, was killed at 1.45 p.m. while taking a goods train from Runanga to Greymouth. Nobody witnessed the fatality, but four maintenance men saw Mosley leaning over the side of the engine cab while the train approached a bridge near Camp station, over two miles from Greymouth.

Mosley was endeavouring to ascertain the cause of a driving rod knocking and was facing away from the bridge. A maintenance man called out to him but was unable to attract his attention. It is surmised that he was still leaning out at the bridge and was struck by an abutment. being precipitated into the stream which was swollen by recent rain. The fireman, R. Thomas, who was looking out on his side of the cabin, did not see the accident, but heard the call of the maintenance men and at once stopped the train, which comprised 15 wagons and a van.

The maintenance men on coming to the stream found it discoloured One entered the stream but was unable to find any trace of Mosley, whose cap was seen floating away Dragging operations proved unsuccessful and the body is believed to be entangled among snags where the stream nears the Grey River. The fireman and guard brought the train to Greymouth. The deceased leaves a wife and two young sons. He was a former West Coast representative footballer.