Railway Accident.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XIV, Issue 2505, 17 April 1896, Page 2

Railway Accident.

THAI In DERAILED BY COLLISION WITH BULLOCKS, Shortly after 7 o’clock on Wednesday night news was received iu Napier that an accident had occurred on the railway line near Matamau. On making inquiries at the traffic manager’s office our representative was informed that a delayed train leaving Danevirke at 5.80 p.m. had collided with a bullock, that the engine had been derailed and toppled right over, and that a number of empty trucks between the engine and the passenger carriages had been smashed to splinters. Luckily no casualties had occurred.

The derailed train was delayed from its time, 2 5 p.m., till 5.80 on account of the Caledonian sports at Danevirke, and it is probable that it was lull of passengers. The accident occurred about a, quarter of a mile south of Matamau. Of course traffic was completely blocked, but a relief gang was at once despatched from Makotuku to the scene of the derailment to remove the debris, and if possible get the engine on the rails again. Meanwhile orders were given that the train which had left Napier at 1.85 p.m, (and which should have crossed the derailed train at Ormondvillo) should run on to the scene of the .accident and tranship her passengers (who were afterwards picked up by a special sent from Danevirke for the purpose), takiug ou board those from the excursion train, and bringing them back to Napier. This was done, but owing to the engine being obliged to run back “ tender first ” as far as Waipukurau, progress was very slow. At the latter place a turn-table was available, and the engine was faced about, enabling the train to come along at an accelerated pace. It was not until 2.15 a.m., however, that she arrived at the Napier station, when it transpired that the accident had been of a serious nature, and that the escape of the passengers (about 50 in number) had been providential indeed. The train was in charge of Guard Stone, and the engine was in charge of driver Fleming and fireman Hood. It appears that the engine first bumped into a boast which ran across the line suddenly, and which was cut right in two, and then collided with two others which rushed on to the line immediately afterwards and caused the overthrow. Ail the beasts were killed on the spot. When the engine toppled over it fell a distance of twelve feet on to a siding below, and the driver and firemen were at once covered in a heap of coal from the bin. Had they fallen from the engine they must have been crushed to death. Four small trucks and two big ones had been attached to the train at Daunevirke, and these wore reduced to splinters by the impact, and roughly estimated it is thought that the damage will be something like £IOOO. The empty trucks were, we understand, put on at the request of the Dannevirke statiomnaster, wdto complained that he was getting his yard full. If they had not been supplied there can be no doubt that the accident would have been fraught with rerious consequences to the passengers and most probably loss of life, lor the passenger carriages would have shared the fate of the trucks aud have been smashed into fragments. As it w’as the passengers felt the force of the collision even less than might have been expected, but the majority took the first opportunity of leaping from the train. Guard Btone remained at the sceue of the accident, but Driver Fleming was in charge of the engine which returned to Napier.—Herald,