CROSSING FATALITY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20285, 20 April 1934, Page 8

CROSSING FATALITY.

Inquest on Victim of Smash. CORONER’S VERDICT. “ I find that Franks died from injuries received when the motor-cycle he was riding came into contact with a moving train. Ample warning was given by whistles from the engine of the approach of the train. Apart from this, if Franks had taken ordinary precautions before attempting to cross the railway line he would have seen the light, of the train in plenty of time to enable him to have avoided the collision.” This was the verdict of the Coroner, Mr H. A. Young, at an inquest held this morning into the death of Francis Gilbert Franks, a married man. who was killed on the Templeton railway crossing on the night of April 4. when the motor-cycle he was riding collided with the C'hristchurch-bound express from Invercargill. Mr Hunter appeared for the relatives and Mr N. S. Dew, Traffic Inspector of Railways, for the department. Sergeant Moore conducted proceedings for the police. Eyewitness’s Story. Arthur John Elwcod. a freezing worker, of Templeton, who was an eyewitness of the accident, said that he was walking along Factory Road at 7.20 p.m. with a friend, and noticed the train and motor-cyclist. Both were travelling in the same direction, the motor-cyclist being on the main mad It was a dark night, but clear. Wit ness’s attention was attracted to the crossing by a motor-car, which appeared to be about to cross in front of the train, but turned into the station yard. At that moment witness saw that the motor-cyclist had turned off the main road on to the crossing. He was between two sets of rails and appeared to hesitate and then went on. Witness heard the whistle of the train before it reached the crossing. After the impact the motor-cycle was found on the cattle stop and its rider twenty or thirty yards awav in a paddock. To Mr Hunter: The motor-cyclist's view of the train would be obscured because of the station buildings. By the time he reached the crossing the train would be on him. Question of Visibility. Arthur Carey, a clerk, of Templeton, gave similar evidence. To Mr Dew: The station is seventy or ninety vards from the crossing. The first few chains of the line is obscured by the station buildings, but after that you can see for half a mile. Witness added that the train was travelling at 40 or 50 miles an hour and the motor-cycle at about 10 miles an hour. The train had reached the station when the motor-cvciist turned to go over the crossing. The train was being drawn by two engines. Driver's Evidence. Thomas Edward Snowden, an enginedriver employed by New Zealand Railways, said that he was driving the leading engine and whistled twice for the crossing, the second blast being given near the station buildings. On passing the buildings he caught sight of a motor-cyclist on the main road. He travelled in the same direction as the train for four or five yards then took a turn towards the crossing. Witness immediately blew the whistle a third time The cyclist did not look in the direction of the train until after he had completed the turn. His speed did not appear to slacken nor did he attempt to swerve The result was that the engine caught him on the crossing. Witness shut off steam and applied the brakes. The train pulled up a length or two over the crossing. The headlight of the engine could be seen for a quarter of a mile, said witness. From the road it was possible to see some distance past the station buildings. If the motor-cyclist had stopped or swerved he could have prevented the collision, but he would have had to act immediately. The motorcyclist appeared to be travelling at 20 miles an hour The express was running about eight minutes behind time, and travelled through Templeton at the usual speed approaching 50 miles per hour. Cyril Leslie Sheppard, acting-engine-driver, who was'fireman on the leading engine, gave corroborative evidence. Walton H. Bremner, a medical practitioner, of Christchurch, said that he was a passenger on the express to Christchurch, and op being told that a man had been struck went to attend to his injuries but found him dead. The man’s skull w?s fractured and the cause of his death was the injuries that he had received. Herbert St Clair Porter Andrews, a draughtsman employed by New Zealand Railways, produced a plan of the Templeton railway yard. He said that from the point where the motorcyclist turned off the main road there was a clear view for eight chains. The next eight chains were obscured by the station buildings, and beyond that there was clear vision for a quarter to half a mile.