TRAIN DERAILMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 227, 27 September 1935, Page 8

TRAIN DERAILMENT

TRUCKS AND CARRIAGES I ' THREE CHILDREN INJURED SOUTH ISLAND MISHAP. ( Per i ress /Association. ) l.\ \ J.hC, AKGIi.L, |upl. 25. A seriuuo tram UerauiiKiil uccui.cd on tne mam ln\crcuigiii-Curi&icnuicn tine curly Luis evening, wneu a mixed ailemouii tram I rum Invercargill tu Clinton w;is annual completely uerail ed at l ie loot ot a lung incline between Kumani and Euuudale. Al must the wuolc train, inciuoing joui carriages cariying some seventy pas ■seiigcrs, lull me rails, ’inc cam. 6 es, lugciiicr with twelve luaued and six empty Hucks, were pi.ed up in tut greatest contusion. i lie first two carriages were occupied by s<l seci/iidury scaool pupils, w i.o received a. snaking out escaped scriuu> tnjuiy. Only three ciuidicii received uijuiies requiring attention, ami none ox ihvoe was 100 seriously nun to proceed ho ill •!. The two carriages followed immediately alter two empty petrul waggens, winch caused no anxiety, but a lire occurred m the second carriage as a result of gas ligating, the cylimlci being lurccd through tue flooring. 1 he lire was quickly extinguished. Timber was .spontcied and raised about the centre uf this carriage to a height almost level with the botlenn ol the windows. Tins would probably have caused serious injury to tne children had nut the carriage been of the old type with longitudinal seating, as a result of which the occupants were rock-eted to the frc-iit end uf tne carriage in a heap. Tne front carriage came to rest acioss tiie 'permanent way against a pile of sinasned trucks, a great deal ol glass being broken.

The platforms of the three carriages were telescoped and the cars divorced from the bogey wheels. The permanent way was torn up for a distance of 55 yards, and splintered trucks, bogey wheels, and cargo of lime, timber, and. coke piled in great confusion in front of the carriages. Wh-en a breakdown crew arrived lute in the evening, the indications were that the line would take a considerable time to clear. Passengers by the south-bound express from Christchurch were transferred to a relief train and proceeded to Invercargill, arriving 9U minutes late.

It was stated to-night that passenges for the north to-morrow would be taken as far as the scene of the accident and transferred to another train.