SCENE OF RUIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18770, 29 July 1935, Page 10

SCENE OF RUIN

SOUTHLAND RAIL SMASH !'A^SEXCEES' ORDEAL REMARKABLE ESCAPE (X’er Press Association,). 1N Y.K I! CAKG IB L, last b The Seaward Bush line was the scene of oue of the worst train wrecks in the history of Soiillihind.at A. 30 on Friday evening.' when Id .wagons and carriages on a passenger goods train from Invercargill jumped Ihe rails. The smash occurred 30 miles from the citv, between Gorge road ami Titiroa," and 200vds. of the track was torn up. No one was hurt, blit 20 passengers on board had a most alarming experience. They were nearly all in the carriage which was derailed, only a, few being in the second' carriage, which was only partially derailed.

When a reporter reached the' .spot at midnight lie was met 'by a scene of great confusion. Nine wagons filled with ashes from the slip at Pukekao, two empty cattle wagons, four other trucks find the first carriage were completely off the rails. Kite loading bogey of the carriage behind was also off the rails, blit the rear mgey had remained on the track. The derailed wagons were strewn over the steep bank, and at otto place four or five .were piled in a’ heap. The remainder were scattered round in various positions. The ashes which had filled the bulk of the trucks were strewn everywhere, finding strange resting places among the other goods that hud been carried on the train.

Even in the darkness it could be seen what it fortunate escape the passengers had had. The front carriage had a. heavy list to the right, and was balanced precariously at the very edge of a steep bank. Had it jumped any further off the rails it, must have fallen completely over.

NO REAL PANIC The truck immediately in front of it was even nearer to overbalancing, for if was held in position* by the carriage at one end, and the trucks at the other. 'Pile tangled wreckage along, the track had a serpentine appearance. For aOyd.s. the rails on one side of the track were completely torn Away,fund fora considerable distance beyond they were spread. Sleepers had . been broken like matchwood. The train had crossed the-Alalaura River railway bridge and had entered on a straight level section after a.down grade when the accident occurred. The first derailment- .must haveVbecrf. -that of a wagon near the middle of. the train. The couplings broke a few trucks back from the engine, Which proceeded a short distance _ with . the remaining load before stopping. , Passengers, giving an account’ of their experiences, said that, there was no real panic, and women and children, as well as the men, remained .calm, even when the compartment in which they silt came to rest at a perilous angle. The doors in. the derailed car were jammed, and . accordingly, after some difficulty, they made their way out by tin* windows. A breakdown train from Tnvere,argil! arrived about 10.30 p.'iii., and after further men had been assembled, a gang uf about 20 worked through the night. The scene was still one of ruin bit Saturday morning, but good work was carried out and the'line was clear again fairly early on Saturday evening. * The broken trucks still remain alongside the embankment. . The train service will be run again on Aloaday, ;