TRAIN LEAPS RAILS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1929, Page 9

TRAIN LEAPS RAILS

ALL BLACKS PASSENGERS .3 ABSENCE OF INJURY AMAZES THREE CARRIAGES CAPSIZE CRASH IN FREEZING DAWN By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received July 18, 8.30 p.m, x Brisbane, July 18. The Limited express jumped the rails near Black Mountain station, in the New England Range, early this morning. Three carriages were overturned and it is reported that the whole train left the line. The passengers were flung from their berths, but strangely enough none was injured. A later message from Guyra, five miles from the scene of the accident, states definitely that the All Blacks were on board the train. They occupied the last carriage, which remained on the line, and they therefore were less shaken than the other passengers. When the more curious of ’ the All Blacks poked their heads out of the windows and inquired what was the matter, somebody replied, “Broken rail.” Grenside ejaculated: “Well, tell them to weld it again.” - It is believed that a broken rail was the cause of the accident. Fortunately tho train was travelling slowly, due to fog, otherwise the mishap might have been attended with tragic Two Sydney footballers, Westfield and Lamport, who were chosen to represent Australia against New Zealand in Saturday’s test, were passengers. Both the main and the loop lines were blo’cked by the overturned carriages. The night was one of the coldest known in Sydney, and there were frosts general in all the elevated country. The scene of the accident is one of the highest points on the line, 4330 feet above sea level.

SICKENING PLUNGE. The train rushed through the Black Mountain' station, though apparently the speed had been reduced on account nt the thick fog shrouding the mountain sides, and when just past the home signal the coaches lurched heavily. There was a hevay grinding of brakes and the shrill screeching ot steel rasping and ripping on steel, and the passengers were awakened by the sickening piunge. The two locomotives hauling the train on the up-gracfe remained on the line, but the wheels of a car in the body of the train left the rails and ploughed the permanent way. The second coach was dragged with it and both swung over at a dangerous angle. The third carriage followed and all went over on their sides with a deafening crash, the passengers being flung from sleeping berths against the roofs of the cabins. The three other coaches making up the train left the line and tore up the roadway, but did not capsize. The passengers were jolted but not thrown from their berths. In the freezing dawn the passengers lit fires and huddled round them in an effort to keep warm. The sound of the crash attracted nearby settlers, who provided hot tea and did what they could for the passengers’ comfort. The express consisted of two medium locomotives, six cars carrying sleeping first and second-class passengers, and a brake van. The train weighed approximately 400 tons. The brake van was also derailed. The permanent way was torn up for a distance of 200 yards. A relief train was rushed to the scene from Newcastle and breakdown gangs were sent from Werris Creek. It is expected, however, the line will be blocked for a few days. In the meantime the Brisbane and Sydney expresses will meet on either side of the gap and transfer the passengers. Fortunately last night’s passenger list was not a long one, but all in the capsized cars will remember this morning for the rest of their lives. As the coacncM toppled over panic seized some of the occupants, their screams of terror resounding along the lonely mountainside. CARRIAGES SHATTERED. Windows were shattered, steel framework twisted, timber splintered and men and women were flung against the swaying walls of the toppling carriages. Then as the cars’ plunging progress ended they set to work to climb out of the windows, which were now auove their heads. The task of reaching safety in this way was not an easy one with the heavy shutters and broken glass to impede their escape. All naturally were severely shaken but no one was injured As the passengers struggled from tne wreck many were elad only in pyjamas, which formed poor protection against the biting, frosty atmosphere. Thick fog enveloped them, which added to the confusion for the time. Meanwhile, railway men from the little Black Mountain station, alarmea by the crash, hurried to the spot, expecting to find a scene of carnage. They were astounded to discover none had been caught in the broken, splintered steel and wood of which the carriages were built and which must certainly have spelt death to any thus trapped. The passengers’ escape in this case is probably the most amazing in the annals of the New South Wales railways. A similar derailment of the Brisbane express at Aberdeen Bridge in 1926 was attended by loss of life and a long injured list. At least two All Blacks slept rmht through the commotion. Kivell was a°passenger on the train concerned in an accident in New Zealand just prior to embarking for Sydney. It is understood Mrs. McLeod, the All Blacks’ manager’s wife, was in the same mishap. The two carriages in which the All Blacks travelled were added to the Brisbane train at Armidale. The manager, Mr. J. McLeod, reports that all is well with the team, who treated the experience lightly, although they cannot imagine how some of the passengers were not killed.

The team expects to reach Brisbane to-night at midnight, which is six hours late. Cundy told an interviewer that there seemed to be a hoodoo over the tou®.