MISHAP TO EXPRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26026, 14 December 1945, Page 4

MISHAP TO EXPRESS

COUPLING BREAKS ON GRADIENT TWO-HOUR DELAY AT PORT CHALMERS The parting of a coupling between two carriages resulted in the early north-bound express being delayed at Port Chalmers yesterday morning for about two hours. As a new connection could not be made without removing the two carriages, it was necessary to requisition the locomotive of the following slow train, which had arrived at Sawyers’ Bay, to haul the rear half of the express back to this station, where shunting facilities were available. Some interesting facts were revealed in connection with the hold-up. In the first place, although the break occurred on a gradient, the air brakes automatically came into operation, holding the carriages safely until they were removed. The tablet system immediately “ locked ” the section in which the distressed train was located, and no other train could enter. The fireman of the express was required to make his way on foot back to Sawyers’ Bay with the tablet in order to arrange for the relief engine to enter the section. The reguations required that he must traverse his section, even though a trip by taxi would have been much quicker. Nothing could be moved until the tablet was in the signal machine, thus ensuing complete safety. The passengers accepted the delay philosophically, and evinced very little interest, continuing their reading or other occupations.