RATANA INQUIRY

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 13887, 21 June 1938, Page 5

RATANA INQUIRY

INTO RAILWAY DISASTER EXFEE TS CH OSS-EXAMINED. Electric Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, This Day. Technical evidence given early in tlie inquiry by Mr A S. Wausborou;;h, designing engineer, maintenance branch, New Zealand Railways, wa« the subject of loi#; ci oss-examm-ation yesterday afternoon when the board of inquiry set up to investigate the cause of the Katana railway disaster on March 26 lesumed it* sitting. In answer to Mr G. G G. Watson, counsel for the driver. Mr Wansbrough said he was satisfied from what he had seen that the locomotive did not mount the rails, bat overturned at a speed of approximately 50 miles ail hour. The cross-examination. of Mr Wansbrough had not been completed when the* inquiry was adjourned at 5 p.m. It will be resumed at 10.30 a.m. to-day. Further departmental experts will also be cross-examined on evidence * given during earlier stages of the inquiry. The board consists of Sir Francis Frazer, chairman, Mr F. W. Fiirkert, and Mi H. L. Cole. Mr H. F. O’Leary, K.C., with him Mr F. W. Aicken, railway law officer, is appearing for the Railways Department ; Mr G. G G. Watson is representing the New' Zealand Locomotive Engineers, Firemen and Cleaners' Association, and also the driver of the train, Mr E. Percival ; Mr F J. Foot is appearing for xhe relatives of Mrs E. Lewis, a passenger killed in the disaster; an 6Mr N. T. Gillespie is watching proceedings on behalf of the relatives of Mrs M. R. Tullock, another victim. Cross-examined by Mr Watson, Alexander Smillie "Wansbrough said the passenger cars operated on the Main Trunk were equipped with roller bearings. Mr Matson,: Cars on the Main Trunk are also equipped with a particular kind of coupling to reduce shock and bumps? Witness: That is so.

So that passengers on “\V4” (the excursion train) would not have as smooth a ride as passengers on the Main Trunk —“The only difference would be in the case of an emergency application of the brakes.” COMPARISON OF CARS. In your opinion, speed for speed, Main Irunk cars arc no more comfortable te ride in than the cars on “W4”?—‘There may be some difference, but 1 would not like to say. That is a question for rolling-stock experts. I nave never noticed any serious difference.” Questioned about speed-boards, witness said the purpose of these bo-aids' was to remind drivers that they were coining to restricted areas. They should be effectively and accurately placed. Mr Watson: At night any indication available to a driver is in .nile-age-posts and speed-boards? Witness: In general, yes. The mileage-posts on this particular trip were not on the driver’s side. Have those mileage-p#*g.s ever been altered since the Taw a Flat deviation was introduced?—“No.” The Tawa Flat deviation has taken two miles off the journey, has it not ? —“Yes.” Have tne mileage pegs ever been altered to allow for the deviation r - “No; an alteration was not necessary for the purpose they scive.” Witness added that, according to rhe working timetable, flu* total traffic mileage from Wellington to Ratal! a was 127 miles 25 chains. This mileage did not represent actual distance. ‘‘Neither the timetable mileages nor the mileage post it present actual measured distances between stations; they represent localities,” he added. There were reasons why the mileage pegs should not he altered. They represented a definite location from which everything on the track could be measured. Any change would necessitate altering a large number of files and would .introduce confusion to the departmental i<ecords. If a driver near Ratana could not see the mileage posts at night, he eotild determine his position because it was between two speed restrictions. If a driver bad not been *on the section for eight years and had no other way of ascertaining his position, he could consult* the working timetable.

Mr M atson : Do you agree that a driver, should drive from his observation of landmarks and his'experience of the line? Witness:. 1 believe ho should use everything that would help him m any way. SAFE SPEED ON I’URYES. In .’ns previous evidence witness had said the formulae used by son**’ railway systems for the safe speed on curves were based on the critical speed for overturning <>n the springs. A formula, he said, was put forward by Mr J. W. Spiller ill the proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers for 1908-9 with a view to determining the speed at which the front bogie* wheel of a locomotive would tend to climb the rail Cross-examined on this evidence, witness said Mr Spiller’* formula gave* the critical speed at which an engine of the “Ah” class would mount the rail, as 35.5 miles an hour on a 6.4-chain curve. Witness added that in his previous evidence he had said that the Spiller formula could not be considered exact. “1 am satisfied front what 1 have sun tlutt • the -locomotive did npt ffifjUfit the rails, but overturned 5 at a sliced of Approximately 50 miles an hour,” saul witness. “The Spiller formula,” he added, “is very largely used on various railway systems for fixing the authorised speeds' on curves. 'Hie New Zealand railways have considered it

safe, in fixing limits, to adhere to the more conservative figures derived from the Spiller formula. Modem practice however—it is 30 ye ars since Mr -Spiller produced Ins formula—tends to fixing sj»eccTs from the formula of a. locomotive overturning on its springs. Tin* Spiller formula docs roughly indicate a dangerpoint.”