Evidence Of Railwaymen In Seddon Smash

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1948, Page 5

Evidence Of Railwaymen In Seddon Smash

BLEXHEIlt, April 8. In evidenoo hefore the board of inquiry into the Seddon train smash this afternoon .Tniues Kerr, a Railways Department leading carpenter, who was a passenger on tlie train, said that jus? Iiefore the aeeident he thought 'tht spoed to be between 27 and :»2 m.p.h. *Ie Would disagree with the woman pas senger who had said the train was "belting". Robert .Tames' .Mealing Strietland, railway pluinber. who was in the. guard 's van, said there had been nothing to eause him f'ear in the run Iffwn'to the eurve where the erash oeeurred. The stationmaster at Blenheim William ( harles Tritt, said the train came tnto the station faster than usual "1 had no opportunity of speaking- to the dnver about his speed," said witness. * (>I the traiu into the station had alarmed him. if he had had timo he would have asked the driver for his reasons for ovcrrunning the station. He had made a meutal note to report the malter to tlie locomotive foreman at Christchurch. As far as he had' seen there had been no danger to the public ( aiut that was why he did not speak to the driver. Jolin Archibald Campliell, railways c.erk at Blenheim, said that when infornied he would have 20 ininutes for a nieal after the north-bound freighter arrived, (turr had said that was O.K. and had agreed to the arrungements to meet 104 at Tua Uatinia. X^ither the. driver niir (ireman had- complained to liini that tliey. u ere fatiguefl.