Guard's Evidence At Rail Smash Inquiry

Chronicle (Levin), 7 April 1948, Page 3

Guard's Evidence At Rail Smash Inquiry

^ BLENHEIM, April 6. The specd approaeliing Blenheim of the Kouth Island main trunk expjress which was derailed at Blind River on Februarv 25, causing six deaths and the admission to hospital of 37 people, was exeessive, stated the train's guard, Roy Parmeuter, in evidenee before the Board of Inquiry at Blenheim today. Parmenter estimated the speed approachihg Blenheim station where there are two level crossings, at between 40 and 45 m.p.h. Erom Blenheim on to the crusli, witness added, nothing had occurred to give him cause for concern. lie explaincd that the maximum speed ailowed on the run into Blenheim, apart •from the levcl crossings, was 45 m.p.h. The guard was in tlfe witness box for four hours. After leaving Seddon ujitil flic crash, there was no applieation of tlie lirakes so far as he knew, but they could have been applied without his noticing. He would not say they had not been applied. Witness said that at Blenheim he was obliged to lest oniv a newly eoupled curriagc, but he had looked at all the bralces. The tests were satisfactory. Parmenter said he had no opportunity to spoak to (lurr, tho driver, al Tuamarina. He had noticed nothing abnormal about the speed from Tuamarina until the train was in the Blenheim yards. He had not spoken to the driver about the type of slop he had made. He had not cousidered it necessary. No passeuger had come up to him but when he was waving the train back someone on the platform called: "You had better get the brakes fixed before you leave here. The driver had gone normally over the Awatere bridge — almost cauliously. The stop at Seddon had been a good one so no delay was occasioned. "I had no coraplaints from any passengers at any part of the journey, " added witness. When asked if he had liad any complaints at Seddon after the aecident,. he added that he had been asked any amount of questions by passengers and passengers had complained to him about the speed of the train. "I ean remember passengers saving that we were speeding, he said. "I remember one lady sa3ring to me while I was bandaging her head: 'By — we were belting V (Laughter). , *