A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14283, 27 April 1917, Page 8

A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

EXCaTIM £pERJENCft ' ' The passengers on -the train from the north which, usually arrives? m plasterton ajL iOjjt.ia- h'adl. a sensational, experience oil; • •'fiiaj^daji'' evening. V. "yVTien the train arrived, at t;he. engine was ui}coupledi tfl dp $qme shiiriting.- It is stated, 1 ;that by 'An, unfortunate: oversight, tl^e brakes were not appl}4ct,to *h©. carriages, • with the'yesiUt that the train , commenced; to move, clown %he .incline towards.' Pahiatua. Fortunately the jtram- dallied! , past pahiatua th^ points we^«r'opeu. .'.'.'.' '"' :;'' .■ ,'• ' , ■_-.■'■ n. l.ij tj>e meantime the guard o^i the, runaway train appears to have been, unr a\vare that., anything was wrong. It is understoodi that he was under' 'impression that! the train was bafcldng towards Pajnatua,. as the, tablet liad, boen forgotten; and h^e was on the. look-; ;out tbwai^ds for. a trolly to appear with the missing tablet. When 4he traiii gashed l>ast % Pahiatua station-he realised 1 sorixething Avas wrong; He : inveKtigated;,,.4nd: fiuiclvly realised -the; true position. He at puce applied the. brakes am] brought the train to a stand 1 -' still after, sonic six, miles had been covered. . . ; ", v .' ' The efforts of the i-ailway men to catch the runaway are deserving •of credit, and provided great excitement For those pai'ticipat-ing. When this train bolted from Mdngajraaive-.an enjgjnb wns set m. motion and had nearly caught the ruiiaway when the latter came , to M ■ standstill as the result of the guard putting on the brakes. ' The "delayed train eventually reached Masterton at 11.30 p.m. ' , "; .'