RAILWAY MISHAP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16848, 26 September 1922, Page 9

RAILWAY MISHAP.

ACCIDENT ON MAIN TRUNK DRIVER INJURED. (Pfr Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 20. A mishap occurred to tho Mam Trunk express which, left Wellington afe ?2.45 p.m. to-dav for Auckland. Shortly before one o’clock, when the train was at the Crescent lload crossing, hall-way between Ngaio and Khandai lah, tho draw-bar at the rear end of tho third carriage from the engine ni.upped. The break occurred underneath tho carriage platform, the steam pipe also breaking. One of the big. heavy chain hooks connecting tho third and fourth carriages also opened * ut. Tho mishap occurred cm a fairly steep incline. The grade at tlie point i- in the vicinity of 1 in 40. but tho breaking of the coupling meant that the Westinghouse brake was applied automatically and tho train came io a dead stop immediately. Tho car on which the trouble arose, an empty <*«r ii* front of it and the postal van next to the assistant engine (there were two engines hauling the trainV were taken on to Khandallah. the intention l-eing to plooo the damaged car on the siding’and transfer the passengers into an empty car which had previously boen &et apart to pick up a party of Maoris further up the line. After, the damaged car had been left at IClxau • (hllah, tJho front portion of the train returned to Crescent.llond to hitch up with tho remvning carriages. ' When the train was being coupled the driver, J Meaehan. had his head crushed between the concertina shelters of two carriages. He was pl once removed to the house of Mr Cousins, on the main road between Ngaio and Khandallah. and was attended by Dr Bertram Wright, of Jolmsonville. Later he was to be brought to the Wellington Hospitak Tin* down express from Auckland was railing at Khandallah for the up tin in to pas-, and arrangements were at once made for the driver of the Wellington-bound train to take the jorthward train on to Palmerston North. By good fortune, a railway pngino-driver happened to be travelling .is a passenger on the sent born-bound • -.press, and immediately took his place i!: the cab and brought the train to Wellington. Tlie train reached Thorndou exactly one hour late. # while the north-bound express left Khandallah at J .38 p.m.. be ing fifty minutes late