SLIP ON LINE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 189, 19 August 1935, Page 5

SLIP ON LINE

Railway Traffic Held Up MANAWATU BLOCKAGE TRAIN RUNS INTO MUD

(Per Press Association.) PALMERSTON N„ This Day. Drawn by a seventy-ton engine a goods train proceeding down a steep winding gradient ran into a mud slip at 6.30 a.m., a mile beyond Whakaronga on the Palmerston NorthWoodville line. The obstruction was not visible until the driver rounded the bend. He applied the brakes but the dead weight of the train made it plough through the slip, scouring the line for fifteen yards to a depth in places of ! nearly two feet. The soft mud yield|ed before the train's momentum and | the engine pulled up beyond it with the guard’s van stuck in the, mud, one wheel being off the line. The remainder of the train proceeded to Ashhurst and another locomotive v, as despatched from Palmer ston North i.o pull out the van. The slip was cleared at 10.30 a.m. and traffic was restored after four hours' interruption. Instead of the 7 a.m. passenger train for Napier leaving Palmerston North passengers were motored to Woodville where a train for Hawke's Bay was made up. The Limited Express from Auckland, coming via Stratford owing to the Main Trunk slips, is not expected io reach here before 11.15 a.m.

The train due at Waipukurau at 10.30 a.m. arrived at 11.47 a.m. MAIN TRUNK SLIPS (Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. As a result of slips on the Main Trunk the Auckland excursion train with 500 passengers, due here at 7 a.m.. arrived at nearly 11.30 a.m. The Limited, due at 9.41, is expected about 2 p.m.