TROLLEY SMASHED

Southland Times, Issue 20525, 29 June 1928, Page 7

TROLLEY SMASHED

COLLISION WITH EXPRESS.

OCCUPANTS’ NARROW ESCAPE.

When approaching Timaru a minute or two before 4.15 on Tuesday afternoon, the Invercargill-Christchurch express ran into a four-wheeled trolley on which Surfacemen A. E. Andrews and J. H. Simpson were travelling homeward. The smash, which took place at the cutting near the Caledonian Society’s sports grounds, resulted in the trolley being literally smashed to pieces, and in the two passengers having a miraculous escape from death. It appears that the express was running a few minutes ahead of scheduled time, and the men who “stable” their trolley in the vicinity of where the smaah took place, were travelling on the main line. The men, after consulting their watches, were of opinion that they were not in danger. They were soon to find their mistake, however, for on hearing a rumble they looked back and saw the large engine bearing down on them. There was only one thing to do, and that was to jump to safety, which they found against a steep clay bank. Next moment there was a terrific crash as the cowcatcher of the engine tore its way into the trolley, the smaller vehicle being smashed to splinters. The shovels and other implements carried on the trolley were twisted and smashed, whilst the wheels of the trolley were thrown into the air. The trolley was a fourwheeled one of a type which is largely used on the railways. The engine was brought to an immediate halt but was not delayed long. The occupants of the trolley suffered shock, and both consider their escape to be a miraculous one. The engine was travelling at a high speed, and had the surfacemen not acted with such promptitude, there would no doubt have been a tragedy.— Tiinaru Herald*