McLEOD’S FLAT TRAGEDY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18538, 8 April 1930, Page 11

McLEOD’S FLAT TRAGEDY.

INJURED PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY. By Telegraph—Press Association. WHANGAREI, April 7. There is little fresh to report concerning the level crossing tragedy at McLeod’s Flat. The injured are all progressing satisfactorily, but Sparks is still in a serious state. No information can be obtained from the injured. The work of rescue was rendered difficult by the fact that the night was dark and drizzling, and only the guard’s electric torch could be used, the benzine fumes making open lights dangerous. The ’bus was completely wrecked. It was struck fair and square just behind the front wheels, and hurled down a ten foot bank. Seats, cushions and blood-stained splinters of wood were strewn for a considerable distance along the line. Miss Darwin was thrown on the platform above the cow-catcher, and carried 176 yards before the train pulled up. She was dead when found. The driver, Noel Wilkinson, whose father is a proprietor of the 'bus company, was the only one to retain consciousness, and managed to crawl out of the wreckage. Rothwell was found on the right hand side of the track, 60 yards from the crossing. Miss Wilson was visiting Hikurangi as the guest of Mrs Jackson, of Hikurangi, as was Miss Trotter, one of the injured. Miss Wilson had made arrangements to return to Auckland, but finally decided to stay over the •week-end, and attend the races. The accident happened at the first crossing on the Hikurangi side of McLeod’s Flat, and at a point where the main highway crosses the line alongside the Mangahahuru siding. In this locality the line crosses the road twice, in about 56 chains, and for the whole distance the line runs parallel with the road. At both ends, however, there are bends in the line, so that the road crosses the line at an oblique angle. Since 1924, persistent but unsuccessful efforts have been made to have both level crossings eliminated by a deviation of the main highway, but the railway engineer expressed the opinion that no matter how desirable the elimination might be, if funds were available, they could be spent to more advantage elsewhere, as there are many crossings where the view was not so good as on McLeod’s Flat. The Main Highways Board said it was not intended to do anything; the Board’s policy was to provide annually for a limited amount of improvements to dangerous crossings such as over bridges, subways, etc., and added that the McLeod Flat crossing would not be considered dangerous, though of course it would be of advantage to have the same eliminated.