DERAILED BY SLIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24296, 13 May 1940, Page 8

DERAILED BY SLIP

ACCIDENT TO RAILCAR PASSENGERS UNINJURED ! (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 12. Passengers on the 3.30 p.m, railcar from Wellington to Woodville yesterday had a long and interrupted journey. The railcar was considerably delayed en route, and half a mile from The Summit ran into - small slip in a cutting. The car was derailed, and lay against the side of the cutting. It was carrying a full complement of passengers, but no one was hurt. The accident occurred about 8.30 p.m. Another railcar was sent from Cross Creek, and the passengers were transferred to it, reaching Woodville about 1 a.m. The line was clear again this morning. SERVICE DISRUPTED DAMAGE TO BRIDGE (Per United Press Association) PALMERSTON N., May 12. The rail service between Palmerston North and Wellington was disrupted a$ the result of damage to a bridge over the -Majiawatu River at Longburn in the early hours of this morning. A logging tractor in a truck broke from its moorings and was so twisted that it projected over the side. As the train passed over the bridgr it struck successive blows on the superstructure, bending the thick iron truss rods, and damaging and cracking the 12-inch ironbark braces. Finally, the upper gear of the tractor parted from the chassis and dropped between the rails, and was forced into the cofner of the guard’s van, where the guard, Mr G. L. Roberton, was sitting. He was uninjured, but had a narrow escape. The corner of the van was completely demolished. Other damage to the bridge included the lifting of the decking.