SERVICES RESTORED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 224, 21 September 1928, Page 7

SERVICES RESTORED.

LOOP LINE COMPLETED. With the completion of a loop lina at the scene of yesterday's derailment, the Main Trunk express passed through Palmerston North only half an hour behind schedule time. Passengers on the Limited express last evening, who spent the night in Palmerston North, were transhipped to' the south-bound Limited at the scene of the mishap. The latter train then left for Auckland. Passengers on the down train were brought to Palmerston and joined the night Limited, which returned to Wellington. It is expected that the ordinary schedule will be maintained from now on." Four vans and mail matter on the tram, including English mails from the steamer Devon for Wellington and the South Inland, were sent forward by the seven o'clock train this morning. It is estimated that 196 bags of mail were carried. While the wooden postal vant» wen smashed, the guard and the passengen felt only a slight jar, for eeveral trucks remained on the line between the car riages and the derailed portion of th< train. Goods were scattered all alonf the line. They included sugar, powderec casein, five trucks of which were amon« those derailed- Powder and 6ugar were spilt in profusion. The derailed wagons that were able to run were placed back on the line and brought into Palmerston North, while those badly damaged will be brought ii on a bogie wagon. A complete telephone service to the scene of the mishap was rigged up bj 1.30 a.m. and direct communication was established between the engineers on the job and the train control office in Wei lington, and the Palmerston North anc Feilding stations. With the arrival oi a crane early this morning the worl of removing the derailed trucks <»m menced and it was continued through out the day, but it is not expected thai the main line will be cleared and rebuill until to-morrow night. It is expected that all evidence of th( accident will be removed by Sunday. An experienced traveller among the passengers commented that but for the efficiency of the Westinghouse brakes a serious loss of life probably would have been involved.' He paid a tribute to the fine and -prompt organisation by the railway and postal staffs, whose enterprise was commendable.