RAILWAY MISHAPS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18584, 19 December 1934, Page 12

RAILWAY MISHAPS

TWO MEN INJURED ONE IN CRITICAL STATE TRAIN STRIKES JIGGER (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. Two officers of the Railway Depart131011+. wore injured at Button’s cross' iiig, about 'half a mile south of Taupiri station, shortly after 5 o’clock this afternoon, when a motor jigger upon which' they were riding was overtaken by a mixed train proceeding from Fratikt'on l .function to Auckland. The victims were:— Ah J. Meade, 58, married, of Frankton Junction, inspector of permanent W.ay, grave head injuries; condition Critical. 11. W. Beasley, district engineer, of Auckland, concussion and severe bruises'; condition not' serious. The accident occurred at a point on the line Where there is a slight bend, the approach to which is obscured hy high fern. Messrs, Beasley and Meade had left Fr.ankt.on Junction about. 3.30 p.nv. and were on their way to Mercer. They were engaged in inspecting the line in preparation for the forthcoming visit of tho Duke of Gloucester to Auckland. It was their intention to stay the night ,at Mercer and proceed to Papakura to-morrow. 'The jigger involved in the accident •was a large four-wheeled velocipede driven by a motor. When it was struck it was carried about sevon chains on the cowcatchor of the engine before' it was' thrown from the Fine. Tt was completely wrecked. Mr Beasley was knocked' clear of the line, but Mr Meade was struck by the cowcatcher. As soon as file impact occurred the train aVas pulled up and the driver artd fireman went to the assistance of the injured men. Tliey were taken on the train to Taupiri. The afternoon express from Auckland to Wellington was stopped and tho men were placed in a van. On their arrival at Frankton- Junction they were transferred to tho Waikato Hospital. The train involved in the accident was a mixed one. It was running about a quarter of an hour 'behind schedule time when the accident occurred. 'Mr Meade, who has an adult family, has only been at Frankton Junction about two months. Prior to that he was inspector of the permanent way at Springfield, near Christchurch.

STRATEOED LINE SMASH SERVICE RESUMED WRECKAGE CLEARED AWAY (Per Press Association:) STRATFORD, last night, By 10 o’clock on Monday night), the Stratford main trunk line had been clfeaVcd-,• allowing the New. PlymouthAueklancl express to' pass only an hour late. The task of clearing the wreckage created by the 11 smashed trucks was completed in five - hours after the arrival of the' breakdown outfit from Wanganui. Tile engine of tho train to Stratford Was badly smashed, the king pin being broken and it was necessary to disassemble it to enable the clearing of tile line. The engine on the train from Stratford escaped structural damage and was hauled back' oil the downgrade to PohukuVa siding, a distance of three' miles. Moonlight assisted* in the clearing work and' without this advantage the fask would have been difficult, as the collision occurred on a portion of the track where there- are steep hills on either side.

Seveiwl' tracks wore a total, loss anrl wore broken, up to effect n. clearance. Only yesterday’s trains were affected and to-day the service was back to normal. Railway officials here say that there was no defect in the system oi control.

ft" is under.soot'd that the guard of the train; fronr Stratford 1 was still in the telephone box communicating with the next Station', Whangninomona, when his train left the station. The driver apparently had' mistaken the guard-s signal. A departmental' inquiry -Wilt beheld' and' no official statement will be made till then.