TRIAL OF ENGINE CREW

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1947, Page 7

TRIAL OF ENGINE CREW

-Press Associu,oion

JURY LEARNS ABOTJT TRAINS

By Telegraph—

AUCKLAND, Feb. 18. Before the ease in wliicli an enginedriver and Jireman are standing trial on eharges arising out of a train collision at Papatoetoe railway station about rioon on Baturdav, August 24, -11)4(3, was continued before Mr. Justiee Findlay, the jury and counsel were taken by speeial train to view the seene of the accideut. The train stopped at various^ points along the line approaehing Papatoetoe to enable the jurors to inspect the two signals the aceused are alleged to have l'ailed to observe and to view them from the footplate of an engine. A loeomotive was standing at the station pl^tform in the same position as the engine of the statiouary train into whieh aeeuseds ' train erashed. The party aiso wateiied the operqfion. of the interloeking macliine controlling Ihe points within the station limits. A eoinnieiitarv was given by Mr. W. F. Hudson, of the Kailwav Departmeut. Aecused in the ease are George Kobert Pretona Dickson, aged 46, enginedriver (Mr. Aekins), and Desmond Bamuel lllsley, aged 22, Jireman (Mr. Heury). They are charged jointly with eausing aetual bodilv harm to A\ illiam lienry (tullagher uiuler sueh eircumstanc'es that, if he had died, they would have beeu guilty of manslaughter, and are charged" separatelv with culpable negieet of dutv by unlawfully and wiJ . fully failing to observe a railway signal, thereby endangering the lives of Dunovan John AN hale and otlier passengers on the train. AA'hen the heariug was continued, the Crown 1'roseeutor, Mr. Meredith, calied George Frrington Cooper, signal and eleetrieal lines inspeetor, employed by the Uailwav Department, who said he weut to Papatoetoe on the afternoon of the aeeident. Ue found train No. 14^

hai| been statiouary on the down main line at the station and because of that, the (lown-home signal A'o. 28 slioula have been shovviug two reds meaning (ia.iger — prepare to reduce to medium speed. Fignal No. 100) situat,'d rurtlier north should have been sliowing yellow at top and red at bot tom, indu'uting that the track was ciear up t> signal No. 2s wliicli couia be expeeted to be show iug danger. AAritness said he eheeked the two signals and found they -were both as they should have been. Ue tested_ the inter locking macliine and everytliing was in working order. Reguiations laid down that if an unusual signal was showing it was to be treated as a danger sigii. Cross examined by Mr. Aekins, witness said he had had experienee of an interloeking maehine going wrong, but it did not happen frequently. A wrong signal could be eaused througli a con tact wOrking loose. The opeiator of the interloeking maehine snould have takeii an opportuuity after the aeeident of having it eheeked byanother person to proteet himself. Lt was delinitely po'ssible for smoke to prevent the driver seeing the signal. if a signal could be scen by the (ireman and uot by the driver, "the reguiations statod they must repeat the sigfRus to each otlier. To" "Mr Henry, witness said it was uot ditticu'lt to eonvorse aeross the cai. of an engine under normal running con dition. Power tluetuations could causti he red signal to tuni green and then l.aek to red. Sueh trouble had been expe rieneed reeently. On oue oeeasion, it had been eaused by a farmer's sledge with i ro n runners erossing the line. Witness knew of an irregularitv affecting the point switcli at Papatoetoe flve or six weeks ago. The hearing will be continued tomor row.