SECOND EXPRESS DERAILED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 47, 1 April 1914, Page 8

SECOND EXPRESS DERAILED.

ENGINE THROWN FROM RAILS. OPEN POINTS THE CAUSE. At 5 o'clock, yesterday afternoon Timaru was thrilled with rumours that the second express to Christchurch had been derailed and wrecked ''at Smithfield, about two miles north of Timaru. Although not quite so serious as the rumours made out, the accident was serious enough and might easily have had- more disastrous consequences. The accident occurred at 4.30 p.m., and was du# to the points not being properly closed after some sheep trucks had been shunted along the lines. When the driver of the express, Charles Harrington> was taking his train through, he noticed that the line was not clear, and at once applied the emergency brakes, but the speed of the train was Sufficient to carry it on, the engine and tender "passed over the points, but the first carriage ran on to the other line, with the result that the engine, tender, and first carriage plunged off the metals, tearing up the permanent way. . , REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

Tiie accident happened in a flash, but fortunately the derailed carriage and the engine did not capsize, and the remainder of the carriages, though brought to a standstill with a terrific remained intact on the rails. No one received any injury except the fireman, C. W. Beaumont, who was thrown from the cab and fell heavily, straining one of his legs, besides being severely shaken an£ bruised. The rails .where the engine left them were snapped and the sleepers pulled out of the ballast 'and scattered o*er the surrounding rails. The tender brought up against a fence, with its top twisted, -v The first carriage was also wrenched with the shock, several bolts and fastenings - being snapped. Though the passengers had a thrilling twentyyards' ride after the carriage left the metals tliey suffered nothing more serious than bruises, though their es- , ,s»ape was remarkable under the circum- : stances. It is stated that before the points were reached the express was travelling at not more than 12 miles an hour, and no doubt the decreased speed was the reason for the damage being comparatively slight. • OPEN TO-MORROW.

A repair gang was at once sent up from Timaru and set to work jacking engine and tender back to the rails, while the permanent way men got to work on the br6ken rails and displaced sleepers. As the first carriage was thrown across the main line, it had to be removed before through traffic could be resumed. In the meantime the undamaged carriages, and the passengei*s, were taken back to" Timaru, where they had. to w"ait until halfpa;st nine, when a clear line was reported. The express reached Christchurch at' 1.20 o'clock this morning. Naturally the work of lifting the;;engine and tender so that they can be -run off for overhaul will be heavy work, but it is expected that ordinary service on the sidings will be resumed to-morrow.