EXPRESS PLOUGHS INTO SLIP

Southland Times, Issue 24860, 28 September 1942, Page 4

EXPRESS PLOUGHS INTO SLIP

DELAY ON MAIN TRUNK LINE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, September 27. Passengers on the express which left Wellington on Friday afternoon for Auckland had a tiring trip lasting over 23 hours because of an extensive slip which came down on the main trunk line a little south of Waimiha station between Taumaranui and Te Kuiti at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday. The slip occurred a short time before the express reached Waimiha and the train ploughed its way well into a huge pile of mud and rubble which had been washed down by the recent heavy rains. No serious damage was caused to the locomotive or any of the carriages and there was no derailment. A relief train was despatched as soon as possible from Frank Junction , and passengers and luggage were transhipped in the early morning. However, it was' 8.50 a.m. before the relief express left Waimiha. The passengers were again transhipped at Frankton Junction and, after a clear run through, it eventually arrived in Auckland at 2.20 p.m. The express was also slightly delayed on the line as far as Paekakariki because of power failures in the Wellington district. The passengers were shaken when the train entered the slip and mud spattered over a few of the carriages. On Saturday afternoon a passage was cleared through the slip.