TRAIN DERAILED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 28

TRAIN DERAILED.

.aA UNENVIABLE EXPERIENCE. ASHBURTON, June 15. This morning’s mixed train from Springburn, containing 6J passengers, including SO pupils travelling to the Ashburton High School and Technical College, was derailed at 9.50 after passing Yaletta, 18 miles from Ashburton. Guard Gardiner, who was collecting tickets, was thrown down and severely bruised, and many others were hurled from their seats and slightly hurt : but there were no serious injuries. 'J he front portion of the train comprised goods trucks, and it is surmised that a piece of timber fell off and derailed the truck preceding the children’s car. casting shingle on to the children's windows like a monstrous hailstorm. the coupling behind the children’s catparted, releasing two carriages containing adults and the van. These dived toward the fence, cutting up the track, which, fortunately, was level. The children's car then parted, and stopped partly off the line, just before the cattle stop, with an ugly tilt ±ne calm behaviour of the women and the children was specially commented on. The train finally reached a standstill in three sections. A fleet of Ashburton automobiles quickly conveyed the passengers to Ashburton, where the children leached their schools less than an hour late. A repair gang arrived promptly, and the lront. part of the train proceeded to Ashburton. The railway disaster is the third derailment on the Mount Somers line in 13 months.