THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1054, 17 February 1911, Page 6

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

INTERESTING INCIDENTS. . (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Stratford, February IG. After a period of thirty-fivo years' strenuous work,. Mr. Fred Summorhaycs, with-one of tho longest services on tho New Zealand railway footplates, left .tho Department. on Wednesday night on superannuation. The railway history of Mr. Summerhayes is practically tho history of tho railways since their inception in tho Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and faranaki ' provinces. Starting in lifo in ISG9 as a clcancr on tho South-Western line, ho was in 1870 acting-fireman on the Canadian Grand Trunk. In 1874 ho began his New Zealand experience, on tho nev • Napier-Hastings line, which was then being built. He continued on this section until tho lino was opened to l'akipaki, after which ho came over to l'almerston North, and ran between Foxton and Oroua Bridge. Ho saw tho completion of the lino between Oroua Bridgo and Polmorston North. Ho.then went to Feilding, Ilalcombo, Wanganui, Ifai.lwi, Waverley, I'atea, Hawera, in that order, and ho was tho' first man through on tho Toko section, afterwards following tho lino to Tewera. In all ho was tliirtythreo years in charge of an engine, and with a genial temperament apd _ good nature, coupled with a great capacity for work,-he is known'and respected all over tho North service. Incidents-in his career wero tho running of tho oversea ninils in the old days from tho Now •Plymouth' breakwater to Aramoho, 107 miles, iu 4 hours 50 minutes, and tho cacrying away of tho women and children from Stratford in 18SG when the destructive bush fires threatened tho town with extinction. His narrowest escape .was eight years ago on tho Toko line/ when his locomotive dropped into a wasjiout twelve feet deep, a mixed wagon coming on top and- crushing the cab right iu, jamming tho driver' and fireman up against-tho fire-box. Nad ho stepped ontsido the cab ho would liavo been killed by Iho wreckage. In the old days Summerhayes sometimes worked thirty-six hours at a stretch, but a; splendid constitution has enabled him to lcavo tho service in good health at tho ago of 60 years. He. purposes to tako a trip to England, after which ho will probably reside in Wellington. Last night ho was accorded nn enthusiastic send-off at Tewera by tho wholn of tho district railway service. Tho gathering was a big one, and lasted till ono o'clock in tho morning. Appropriate presentations wero made to both Mr. and Mrs. Summcrhayei by tho railway staffs.