GORGE RAILWAY TRAGEDY

Chronicle (Levin), 26 August 1946, Page 5

GORGE RAILWAY TRAGEDY

ENGINE n-M.F UNCOVERED With the slow fall of tlie svvollen vvaters of the Alaiiawatu river, tlie 1IJfuied engine of tlie goods train wlucii plungcd into the. river last week is now almost half above water. The three trueks which were between tlie engine and Ihe bank were removed yeslerday by railway cranes. Two of the trueks were placed 011 the'rails and taken l.o the Gorge siding aiul the thirtl, badly liattered aiul twisted, lies besitle tJie rails furlher along tlie trade. Tlie weather for salvage operations yeslerday was bittcrly eold with intermittent heavy rain. Tliousands of sightseers visited Ihe spot and trattic otticers were kept busy t'learing the road ot parked motor vehicles. It is possible now to see the extent lo which tlie upper part of tlie engine! is damaged. The top of Ihe cab is smashed in and the sides of tlie boiler casing are badly dented. All yesterday sluicihg was carried out by workmen, a trailer pump being let down the bank, witli three men on the hose. Aithough an attempt was macle to remove tlie siit from the engine cab by meahs of the sluicing, it was evident that little can be done until the water leyel tececles even further. The removal of all moveable parts of tlie engine by the use of an oxy-a'cetylene eutting torch was begun and good progress liad been made by tlie time the day's work was eompleted. The engine lies facing the way it Was proceeding when it met its tragic end. The nose is liigh out of the water, resting 011 a roekv ledge and the rest of tlie engine slopes down to the cab which lies in the river near the bank. SilL has filled every crevicb and this is where the main difficulty of the salvage partv lies. The tender is upright and just showdng above water, dnd ra

slightly toWards the other bank aithough behind the engine. Aithough further probirfg operations were carried out yesterday afternooh, there is still no Sign Of the iireman and driver. A diilghy was Used to search the banks near the scene, but no trace was found. Two 40-toii railwa3r cranes were at the scene all day \-esterday and there is very little rbom fof thern to manoeuvre. Oue of the* cranes eouJd uot swing arOiilul to the rivef bank, tlie rear of it striking the batik wlieh it Was just over half turhed. A large washout boOih is beiiig plhced across the gap ih the .bank. The work wiil continue today*