CROSSING SMASH

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 6

CROSSING SMASH

MOTOR CYCLIST KILLED. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, November 5. A fatal level crossing accident occurred at Glandovey Road, Fendalton, early this morning, when a motorcyclist, Grant Dethell Duncan, a single man, 25 years of age, crashed into the north-bound workers’ train. Duncan suffered severe head injuries in the smash and died on his way to the Christchurch Public Hospital in the St. John Ambulance. The warning bell and signal were working correctly at the time, but apparently Duncan did not realize the train was in the vicinity until he was about 50 feet from the line. On approaching -the crossing the train speed slackened to between 25 and 30 miles an hour, but the train was almost on the crossing before the motor-cyclist was noticed and there was no chance in which to pull up. The brakes were applied and the train came to standstill in 25 feet. Houses and trees obscure the view of the line north and south until quite close to the crossing when proceeding west, but the warning bell is a loud one .and in addition a red sign swings backwards and forwards over the middle of the crossing.