SPECTACULAR MAIN LINE SMASH

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 August 1950, Page 4

SPECTACULAR MAIN LINE SMASH

Trucks Run Away From Eltham Hit Engine At Hawera

A spectacular main line derailment occurred at Hawera shortly before 9 o’clock last night when seven box wagons loaded with cheese and one empty truck crashed into a stationary locomotive after running away from Eltham, 12 miles away It was not known late last night when the line would be cleared

The wagons rari away during shunting operations at Eltham, gained momentum on the down grade and raced unchecked toward Hawera. Most of the track between Eltham and Hawera is on the down grade, with two small stations, Te Roti and Normanby in between.

Only vague reports were available last night as to what occurred, but it is believed that the runaway string of wagons reached a terrific speed and an amazing feature is that they were not derailed on curves.

Efforts to check the wagons en route were unsuccessful and Hawera was advised that they were running loose on the main line. Before the string of box cars could be switched on to a side track they had crashed into a freight train standing on the main line.

The front of the locomotive, one of the small tank type, met the full force of the impact and was stove in. The first two or three box cars were badly derailed and spewed crates of cheese far and wide as they burst open. Last night the Hawera station yards presented a scene of twisted, splintered wreckage with the derailed locomotive wedged in the middle of it. The task of clearing the line was started immediately. Maintenance gangs were hurried to Hawera from nearby stations and a steam crane was despatched by train from New Plymouth.

The district traffic manager at Wanganui, Mr. A. E. List, and the district civil engineer, Mr. H. G. Stevens, left Wanganui last night for Hawera by car.