CROSSING SMASH.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19149, 4 November 1927, Page 5

CROSSING SMASH.

INQUEST ON KIRWEE j VICTIM. TRAIN HITS MOTOR-CAR. On September loth last at Kirwee, Henry George Weir and Arthur Lionel Stewart were about to negotiate the railway crossing in a car when the Arthur's Pnss-Christchurch train crashed into them. Weir was killed, and Stewart injured. An inquest was opened the following day, aud concluded at Kirwee yesterday before tne Coroner, .Mr H. P. Lawry. After hearing the evidence the Coroner returned the following verdict:— '•Jlenrv George Weir died, on September loth, at Kirwee, the cause o his death being fracture of the skull and laceration of the bruin recerve-i in an accident when riding m » motor-car, which collided with the Arthur's Pass-Christchurch train, such car being driven by Arthur Lionel Stewart. The driver of. the train gave the usuril warning signals, but Mr Stewart apparently neglected to observe the oncoming train, and drove in front of it." In continuation of the evidence Francis Delaruonte Mather, engine driver on the Coast express on September loth, paid that the train lelt Dartield at 4.24 p.m., about two minutes behind schedule time. It was 4.W p.m. when he stopped. About halt a mile before he reached the crossing he saw a motor-car cross the line, coming from Kirwee and travelling towa . Darfield. When about 300 or 400 vards from the crossing he gave a long, loud blast of the whistle. The speed of the train would be about forty-five miles an hour. Just oeforo reaching the crossing he saw a car about two car lengths off the rails. Witness gave another whistle and applied the brakes and the emergency brake. The car was still moving when he taw it. The train consisted of eight cars, and the engine had travelled about two train lengths after striking the car before pulling up. He sent the fireman and the guard back to the deceased. To Sir Chandler, who appeared tor the Railway Department: He had shut off steam about half a mile from the crossing when he 'saw the car coming from Kirwee. William Mcliardie Percy, actingdriver, who was the fireman on ,the engine, said that he did not see the car until •it was showing on his side of the train—the left. He saw tho car thrown. The driver sounded a long blast 300 yards from the crossing, which was the usual custom. When lie went back to the scene of the accident he saw that two men were seriously injured. The train was brought back To Mr Stewart: He remembered the second whistle being about Uf an engine length from the crossing. The guard, Percy John 'lcnry Smith, said that while sorting the mail in the guard's van he felt the train pull up with a jerk. On going back to the scene he found that L'tewart was seriously injured and Weir was breathing his last, Dr. Treahy came along and pronounced Weir dead. The deceased was put \>n the train and taken to Kirwee, the injured man being taken to the Ghristchurch Hospital. Arthur Lionel Stewart, the driver of the car, said that he was working on a chaff-cutter near Charing Cross. He : owned an old Ford car which he used I for travelling to work. The chaffcutting plant left the location and the car followed a little deceased and witness being in the car together. On the way from the Essington road to the Darfield road witness was driving very slowly. There was a hoarding oil the right as the railway line was crossed, going north. When he heard the whistle of the engine the train seemed to be almost on tup of him. He turned the petrol full on and knew no more till he was in the guard's van. He. did noil hear the first whistle referred to. Had he been alone he would naturally have looked up and down the railway before crossing, but,' having company, ha thought his attention, was taken up with conversation. He remembered looking towards Kirwee on tho right, but the train struck the car 'a little to the rear of his left. As they had stopped work a little earlier than usual he did not think he would be at the crossing near train time. Had he been aware of the train coming, at the speed at which he' was travelling he could have pulled up in less than a car iength. The hood of the car had been lowered to compensate for a reduced windscreen, and to see the train it would have been necessary for witness to stoop down and peer round behind the deceased. Me had been driving for close on two years arid had never had an accident previously. To Mr Chandler: The hoarding was in such ji position as not to interfere with the view of the line. I

William Basil Rout, farmer, of Kirwee, said that he was in the yard at the back of his house and heard the whistle sound before the train reached the crossing. The Rev. T. Paterson, of Kirwee, said that he knew Stewart to be a careful driver. He was not a man to speed, and was always strictly sober. The train, travelling towards the town on the down grade, made very little noise. Stewart, being a worker on a chaff-cutter, his ears would be used to the noise of machinery, and he would be less likely to hear the train coming than an ordinary person.

To Mr Chandler: He could not recall an occasion on which he had not heard the engine whistle at the crossing. The verdict given above was then returned.