SOCKBURN DISASTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 314, 11 July 1930, Page 8

SOCKBURN DISASTER

INQUEST ON VICTIMS PROPER CROSSING GUARD ENGINE-DRIVER'S DANGER I Per Press Association ] CHRISTCHURCH, July 10. The inquest was opened to-day before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., Coroner, on the six victims of the recent Sockburn crossing smash. Henry McGrath, crossing keeper, said that he went on to the crossing between 5.15 p.m. and 5.20 p.m. to warn traffic of the approach from Christchurch of the train for Ashburton. While still standing there witness saw the headlight of the workers’ train from Islington approaching. He remained in the same position to see the train through. He show. his green light both ways. Witness said that several cars and cycles stopped Witness saw another car approaching and held up his green light to show that the crossing was dangerous. When the car was about a chain away it swerved to the left. At the some time the train came on the crossing. The next thing witness knew was that the train had struck the car. W’itness thought that the motorist would have pulled up if he had seen the train. Witness was no judge of speed and it was hard to say what speed the train was travelling at. “It might have been twenty miles an hour, or it might have been more,” he added. Witness hoard the engine whistle as it approached the crossing. Lengthy Examination Witness was examined at length by counsel for the relatives. Counsel asked: “Is it your duty to signal to the train or the traffic?” Witness: “My duty is to protect the train. I show a green light to warn the public that there is danger as a train is approaching.” “Does the driver of a train see your green light?”—“Sometimes. It all depends. We are not supposed to show a green light to the train. Mr Burns: “Then so far as the train is concerned you might be carrying any coloured light?”

Tho reply of witness was not audible.

Walter Yarwick Purchase said that he was proceeding to the city at the time of the accident. He was cycling. He waited till the Ashburton train passed and then walked over the .•rossing. Witness heard the train from Hornby and heard the whistle sounded. Witness saw the train go on the crossing and heard a crash. Witness could see the light of the Hornby train half a mile away. It was a dark night. Witness added that there was no fog. Frank Carson, the fireman who was on the engine, said that a good lookout was kept by him on the south side of the engine. The whistle was sounded near the crossing The line was then clear on witness’ side Witness saw a car parked some distance from the crossing on the town side At the same time he noticed another car approaching- . t , The Coroner: “Did you say anything?” Witness: “No, I could see that the driver was keeping a sharp lookout on that side of the engine.” The brakes were applied about two phains from the crossing, and the emergency brake was applied before the engine got on the crossing. Witness lost sight of the ear and the next thing he knew was that the collision had occurred. The enginer was running tender first and there was no cowcatcher. The speed was about 25 miles an hour. Coroner's Finding. Cuthbert Poulsen said he was approaching the crossing on a bicycle just before the accident. He saw the crossing keeper in the middle of the road showing a green light. The car ran on to the rails and was struck full on by the tender. The impression he got was that the tender wheels mounted the car.

The magistrate said it was hard to understand why Smith did not stop and let the train pass. He had visiteu the crossing und he failed to understand why a fatal accident should oc. cur there. It was, in his opinion, one of the most open crossings around Uhristehurch. When he was 80 yards from the crossing one could see a distance of several hundred yards to the right. The crossing keeper was in the middle of the ruad and his lamp was observed by other motorists and cyclists.

“I can find no fault with the Railway Department as regards their guarding of the crossing,” said the coroue*. “Ail the regulations concerning it were carried out and the Department must be held blameless for the death of the five people in the car. With the death of Smith, the driver of the engine, it is necessary to deal separately. It cannot be denied that the fact that he was driving in an engine tender first at 25 miles an hour, contributed towards his death.”

The Coroner heid that the practice of driving engines tender first, was dangerous. He said also that he was convinced that the Department and the General Manager appreciated the danger It would be for the officers of the Railway Department to try to solve the problem. If they had not the funds to do so they must find other means of safeguarding the lives of their employees. Other eye-witnesses, Robert Cook, the driver of a grocery van, and Alan John Gilbcrthorpc, who wa s riding a motor cycle behind Smith's car, gave similar evidence. Thomas Stewart Patterson, retired engine-driver, said ot was unsafe to drive a U.B. engine tender first at above ten miles an hour without lifeguards as a cowcatcher, ile had known instances where an engine travelling tender first, had come off the rails. Dr. A. C. said that Smith, the driver of the car, was a good, care ful driver. He had been medicallv examined and passed fit for service. The car was new and in perfect orde». Mr C. S. Thomas, addressing the Court, said that the old regulations provided a miximum speed of ten miles an hour for engines driven tender first. Since Mr Sterling had been General Manager, this speed had been increased for U.B. engines to 20 najles and for certain other types to 35 miles an hour. Thi a had led to rf' storm of pro-

test from the loco men, who interviewed Mr Sterling on The question. Thomas Reid had made a shorthand record of the in*ervTew. At that interview the loco men’s representatives argued strenuously against the danger of driving tender first at high speed. Mr Sterling argued that the speeds fixed had been certified as safe by the senior officers of his Department, who were competent to advise hint The protest was ignored then, and had been ignored since in running tender first. This train had to do the journey at over 24 miles an hour, which was over the maximum speed fixed by Mr Sterling. Mr Aickin, replying to Mr Thomas, said there was no evidence that the speed of the engine was excessive. Lifeguards had been fitted to some engines, but the shunters represented that they were dangerous to them. The Department could not reasonably be asked, he said, to provide sufficient turn-tables to run al] engines head first. The speed of tho engine on this trip was not 24, but 20.4 miles an hour.