A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13354, 19 April 1911, Page 2

A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

MAIN TRUNK LINE SfNSATION. (Per United Press Association). AUCKLAND, April 18. The Main Trunk express, which left Auckland on Monday evening, and which numbered the Governor amongst its passengers, narrowly escaped meeting with a serious accident shortly before reaching West Held, between Penrose Junction and Otahuhu. It was due to a smart and prumnt act in the stopping of a runaway train that the threatened disaster was averted. A passenger train leaves Auckland for Otahuhu every evening at five minutes to 9, and arrives, at Otahuhu at 9.28 p.m. It is tnen shunted on to a siding, where it awaits the passing of the Alain Trunk express, which leaves town at 9.15 p.m. The train then returns to the city, leaving Otahuhu at 9.13 p.m. This train went out to Otahuhu as usual on Monday evening, but after the engine had boon uncoupled from the carriages in connection with the shunting operations, the train (consisting of four carriages and a van), by some means got away and ran back on the main line down the incline towards Westfield. The engine remained at the station, as the express was nearly due. rue alarm whistle was sounded vigorously in order to attract the attention, if possible, of the driver of the express and warn him of the threatened collision. There were two passengers in one of the carriages <sf the slow train. The blowing of the engine’s whistle attracted the attention of Mr B. Claude, caretaker of the Auckland Sale Company’s yards at West-field, who was in his house near the yards at the time. On looking out he saw the runaway coming down the incline from Otahuhu in one direction, and the express coming up in the distance in the other direction. Mr Claude, realising the seriousness of the situation, ran to the railway line,' leaping over two or throe fences as he went. On reaching the line the runaway train had just passed, but he ran after it and sdbreeded in jumping on the rear carriage* and applying the Westinghoase brake, with the manipulation of which he is fortunately familiar. The. train having been brought to a standstill, Mr' Claude ran in front of the train and waved a red light, and the express pulled up safely within -only about three chains of the other train. Naturally the two passengers on the train which got away, as welfjtis those on the express, when made aw'are of the cause of thg sudden stoppage, experienced a considerable shock on learning of their narrow escape from participating in a collision. Lord Islington's special carriage was in front of the train, next to the engine.