HUTT LINE SMASH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 279, 25 November 1943, Page 4

HUTT LINE SMASH

OFFICIAL INQUIRY MANY WITNESSES HEARD (P.A.) Wellington, Nov. 24. The circumstances of the derailment of the 7.25 Upper Hutt-Wellington passenger train near Haywards oh the morning of Novembar 8, which resulted in the deaths of three persons and injury to 20 others, were investigated to-day by a Board of Inquiry set up under the Government Railways Act. its members were Sir Francis Frazer, chairman, Mr. John Wood, a former Engincer-in-C'hief of the Public Works Department, and Mr. H. L. Cole, secretary of the New Zealand In>Utute of Engineers. Mr. W. H. Cunningham, with him Major F. W. Aickin, represented the Railway Department; Mr. G. G. G Watson, with him Mr. T. H. Stephenson, the Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association and lhe diiver of the train, James Bain, and the fireman, A. E. Sutton; Mr. L. Mcllvride, the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants; and Mr. E. T. E. Hogg the relatives of the late Mrs. Ngaire Pearl Rowe, a victim of the accident. About 26 witnesses are to be called. In the course of his opening remarks Mr. Cunningham said that the coincidence that the same train, drawn by the same engine, should have met with two derailments in the same vicinity within three months, had naturally caused public comment. The first derailment, however, was attributable to a trailing bogie yoke casting on the engine breaking. The department’s experts were frankly puzzled as to the precise cause of the derailment on November 8. There had been no suggestion that the train was travelling at other than a normal speed, there was no question about the sobriety of the driver, and it appeared that the brakes were applied promptly immediately the driver realised something was amiss. Evidence about the track, while it showed irregularities and variations from the standard, did not appear to establish anything in the track conditions sufficient in itself to have caused the accident. An up train passed over the section only a few minutes before the accident occurred. The driver noticed nothing unusual about the track, nor did the driver of the down train which went through less than an hour before. Both these drivers would be witnesses. A very careful inspection of the locomotive after the accident revealed nothing in its condition that could have caused the accident. What happened was reasonably clear from the marks on the rail. What precisely caused it to happen was a difficult question. Mr. Cunningham expressed the sympathy of the Minister of Railways, the management and staff to those bereaved, and the hope for the speedy and complete recovery of the injured. He also expressed the management’s appreciation of the behaviour of the injured and other passengers, and its thanks to all who helped alter the accident, particularly members of the U.S. and New Zealand forces, local doctors, police and traffic officers. Frank Leineweber, permanent way inspector, said the accident occurred on a 15-chain ladius curve. He last inspected the section on foot with a ganger on November 4. On the curve where the accident occurred he found the track was Rowing a little excess cant, up to three-eighths of an inch in places. He told the ganger the track needed attention and approved the latter’s proposal to deal with it the following Tuesday, he having other work to do in the meantime. The \ ariation was nothing unusual and did not worry him in the slightest. The curve was also a little wide of the gauge in places but well within the safety limits. After the accident he found the cant, at practically the same place as before, had increased by a quarter of an inch. A few® dog spikes had been bent back, three in one place and two in another. He attributed this to the sudden stopping of the vehicles. He also noticed a broken screw spike on one of the plates holding a rail, in position, but as far as he could see the rail had not shifted.

Questioned as to the roughness of the travelling in the area from Andrew’s to Silverstream, witness said it appeared rough sometimes but there was a reason, the corrugated rails. Matthew Dalgleish Pagan, ganger, who was acting inspector of permanent way in Wellington up to October 1, said he had been inspecting the section for 54 months before that date and there had been a variation of the cant, on the 15-chain .section of about a quarter of an inch, but it ran out smoothly. Witness said two rails had been replaced after the August 20 derailment.

Lewis John Barraclodgh, enginedriver, said he drove a train Irom Upper Hutt to Wellington, leaving Upper Hutt at 6.15 a.m. on the morning of the accident. He noticed nothing unusual on the curve on which the accident later occurred. John William Boyd, engine-driver, said he drove a train from Wellington to Upper Hutt on the morning of the derailment. It passed oyer the 15chain curve about 10 minutes before the accident. He noticed nothing unusual.

Mr. Watson then read a letter which had been addressed by the secretary of the Wellington branch of the Locomotive Engineers, Firemens and Cleaners’ Association to the general secretary of the Association on August 30. it read:—“My branch desire the council to make representations to have the speed of trains between Wellington and Upper Hutt reduced to that of goods trains till such time as the track is put in reasonable repair. For some time past we have found the track* is getting rapidly worse, and members are of the considered opinion that in its present state the speed is too great if trains are to be run with safety.” Mr. Watson said he would deal with what happened after that letter was sent at a later stage, but in the meantime he would ask witness if he agreed with its content. Witness stated that he concurred. He said that drivers had complained o£ a kick or bump or hole just where the train had been derailed.

Harry Louis Percy Smith, district engineer of the area which includes the Wellington-Upper Hutt line, said marks found on a rail were not consistent with an obstruction having oeen the cause of the derailment. The profiles qX the rails showed that they nad not yet reached the limit of wear at which renewal was necessary. The line of the curve was not perfectly true, but there was nothing to make it unsafe for traffic. It would be perleetiy safe up to 40 miles an hour. He was satisfied the condition of track was not responsible for either derailment. Following receipt, on Septemoer 6. of a letter from the general secretary of the Locomotive Engineers and Cleaners’ Association. He had accompanied the Chief Engineer, Mr. Bertinshaw, on an inspection of the line between Wellington and Upper Hutt. He agi/aed with the opinion of the Chief Engineer that there was no justification as yet for the reduction of the speed of trains. The inquiry will be continued tomorrow.