RAILWAY SMASH ON SOUTH LINE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18332, 8 December 1927, Page 10

RAILWAY SMASH ON SOUTH LINE.

ENGINE AND TRUCKS DAMAGED AT MIDDLETON An AB engine and eight trucks cl a goods train were derailed on the main south line last evening. The trucks were badly damaged. Piled high against the tender of a twisted engine, eight trucks, part of the Springfield to Christchurch goods train, stood on the main south railway ling last evening as evidence of the damage which they had suffered when they, together with the engine, were derailed at 4.15 p.m. yesterday 7. As the engine stood upright on its wheels, neither driver nor fireman was injured. The accident was caused by the engine—an AB—jumping the rails at the point where a branch line leads from the main south line into the Middleton marshalling yards. Before the train came to a stop, eight trucks containing coal, wool and skins had been transformed into a tangled mass of, steel and woodwork. As the accident happened on the main up-line from the south, all traffic from that direction was temporarily disorganised, the down line having to be used for both .up and down traffic. The 5.8 p.m express from Dunedin was held up at Sockburn until traffic was clear on the down line, and ft did not arrive in Christchurch until after six o’clock. W'hen the engine left the rails, it ploughed its way through the shingle ballast and one set of wheels running against the rails on the west side of the track tore several length • out of their sockets. The force of the heavy train behind pushed the damaged trucks round in all directions, some being at right angles to the line, with their wheels buried up to the axles in the shingle. Others were high in the air, their frames being bent and their sides tom away. Several of the trucks had their couplings of heavy iron torn completely off, while of others, the floors were ripped out. All the wooden trucks—five in number—suffered severe!} 7 . The three steel trucks that were derailed escaped more lightly, but all looked to be in a condition that required almost complete rebuilding. The damaged trucks consisted of four of coal, two of wool, one of skins and one empty truck, which bore the instructions: “Not to load. Repairs when empty in Christchurch.” Much more than the original repairs are now required. As soon as word of the accident was received in Christchurch, an engineer and a gang of men set out to-com-mence to clear the line, but until a heavy steam crane arrived at 6 p.m. little could be done beyond unloading the wool and skins. Later, Mr H. Chapman, district traffic manager, went to the scene to make inquiries regarding damage; and salvage work was carried *on under the direction of Mr H. Lusty, Assistant District Engineer. More men were brought to the scene and with the aid of the steam crane, the damaged trucks were lifted clear of the line. The replacing of the engine, which was twisted and buckled, on the rails, presented a bigger task, and men were working for Several hours on this work.

It is hoped to have the line clear by this morning and to have the damaged portion of the main line replaced.

The train crew consisted of Driver Ullrich, Fireman Boyce and Guard A. M’Nichol.

At 11 p.m. yesterday it was. reported that the engine and the waggons were clear, and that all rollingstock would run as usual this morning.