LIMITED IN SNOWSTORM

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 96, 14 July 1927, Page 1

LIMITED IN SNOWSTORM

HEAVY FALLS IN KING COUNTRY WHITE MANTLE COVERS COUNTRYSIDE HEAVY snow fell throughout the King Country this morning, covering the ground to a depth of 18in. and two feet. The fall was heaviest in the Ohakune district. It is estimated that such heavy snow has not been experienced there since 1918. The Limited express reached Auckland at 11.27 o’clock this morning, almost two hours behind her usual time.

THE principal cause of delay was a lost tablet at Karioi, where the train was held up for 67 minutes. Snow and the intense cold had interfered with the tablet mechanism. Snow was falling heavily until 7 o’clock this morning, and the train did not leave the snow-covered area until the Tongariro National Park was reached. Passengers on the Limited said that it was a wonderful sight travelling through the snow-storm. Outside the carriages it was bitterly cold, but inside was warm. Before and after reaching Ohakune the snow reached up to the steps on the carriages. For miles the train simply crawled through the snow, which piled up in front of the engine as high as the platform above the cowcatcher. The guard on the Limited, Mr. J. Melican, said that it was the heaviest fall he had seen for many years. The whole countryside was covered, and made a wonderful sight. He left Taihape on the Limited at 12.3 S o’clock this morning. The train was held up for 13 minutes at Hitahi because of the snow, which was falling very heavily when the train left Ohakune.