TRAIN DERAILED ON MIDLAND LINE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 185, 6 August 1931, Page 7

TRAIN DERAILED ON MIDLAND LINE.

PASSENGERS HAVE LUCKY ESCAPE FROM THE WRECK A broken axle-box threw a line of trucks off the rail when the noon train was going from Springfield to Arthur’s Pass yesterday afternoon. The crew of three, four passengers, and a large quantity of goods narrowly escaped being thrown over the Patterson’s Gully viaduct into the stream 120 feet below. The train was made up of thirty trucks, fourteen of which were derailed. The accident was caused by the breaking of an axle-box, throwing the whole weight of the loaded truck on the wheel. The trouble developed when the engine of the train had just gone on to the viaduct, and the truck was dragged for a distance of two hundred yards before it struck a culvert and was derailed. The three trucks immediately behind telescoped and another seven piled on top of the heap. Fortunately neither the engine nor the carriage-guards van left the rails. Passengers and Crew. On the engine, one of the big A.B. type, were driver L. M’Quinn and fireman E. Lowry. Guard P. Gorton was in the van the rear of the train along with the following passengers:— Messrs Archibald (Sydney), N. Wallace (of Wallace Siding), Frost (Westport) and O. Pfahlert (Sydney, Mr Archibald’s chauffeur). The train, the daily mixed from Springfield, left at 11.55 a.m. with its passengers, two cars belonging to Messrs Archibald and Frost, and a consignment of flour, chaff, potatoes and manure. It reached Patterson’s Creek near Staircase at 1.20 and when it passed several linesmen as it came off the viaduct everything seemed to be in order. A moment later, according to his story to the linesman, the driver felt the engine drag and, looking back, saw the trucks toppling over. He immediately applied the emergency brake and the train stopped within two lengths. The coupling of the truck had broken andl this saved the engine, but three more trucks left the rails a moment later. It was an anxious time for those on the engine, for the wrecked trucks obscured the view of the van at the back. However those on board it had been equally fortunate. The van, with several tucks before it, had remained on the line and though the passengers and guard were thrown from their seats, they were uninjured. Track Ploughed Up. The full extent of their good fortune was realised when they later went back along the line and discovered where the first mishap had occurred. Running dofm the slope to the viaduct the axlebox broke and the ploughed up surface of the track a few yards from the bridge showed where the truck had begun to drag. How it got safely across is a miracle. Had it gone off the rail there probably the whole train would have been dashed to destruction. A portion of the box was left on the bridge but it was not until the truck reached a culvert a hundred yards further on that the derailment occurred. The truck turned over and in a second the following ones were piled on top of it, many of them being smashed beyond repair. Fortunately they fell inwards against the embankment and not in the other direction, where there is a fairly steep slope, otherwise the consequences might have been more serious A telephone pole was carried away and for a time railway telephone communication over a section of the line was severed Workmen on the Scene. Gangs of linesmen were working on

the section and together with a few platelayers, commenced to clear away and pile some of the goods which had been scattered over the line in the derailment. The first intimation of a mishap was given to all stations on the SpringfieldCass section, when the power supply suddenly broke down. Then came through word of the accident from a telephone box a hundred } r ards from the scene, and immediately preparations were made to cope with the situation. An engine -was despatched from Springfield and a little later a breakdown train with a steam-crane and fifty men set out from Christchurch. The engine of the wrecked train with six undamaged trucks, including those carrying the two motor-cars, went on to Arthur’s Pass, with the passengers. The other undamaged portion of the train was drawn back to Springfield, to clear the way for the breakdown train. Breakdown Operations. It was 5 o’clock when this arrived on the scene and work was commenced straight away. With the aid of an acetone plant the couplings were burnt through and the crane made easy work of clearing the wreckage to the side of the track. Superintending the operations of the break-down gang were the District Engineer (Mr J. M’Nair) and the assistant locomotive engineer (Mr Piper) and the assistant district engineer (Mr Simmers). The work went ahead rapidly and at 8.45 p.m. the line was cleared. Then began the work of the linesmen, who had the task of repairing the damaged wires Fortunately for the Railway Department and the public the traffic on the line was all goods, and thus there was little interruption to the service. Another train was to have left Springfield at 1.5 p.m., and 1 others at 4.54, 7.23 and 8.7. These were all held up and were dispatched at intervals during the night. The first train from the other side was due through at 10.43 and this would probably travel to schedule. Precautions Taken The break in the axle-box probably only developed a few’ minutes before the actual mishap, as the Railway Department exercises a close watch over the condition of its rolling stock. The wheels of passenger trains are inspected at all principal stations and trucks undergo a