LEVEL CROSSING ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 55, 29 November 1926, Page 8

LEVEL CROSSING ACCIDENT

TRAIN SNAPPED IN TWO Palmerston North, November 27. A level crossing accident, which placed in jeopardy the lives of those concerned, occurred near Awapuni shortly after 10 o’clock this morning, when a mixed goods train travelling from Wellington to Palmerston North struck a motor-car, both occupants of which suffered injury. An eye-witness of the affair, who was a passenger on the train, told a reporter that the car was proceeding in the opposite direction to the train, which was travelling at a fair speed. The car, a three-seater, attempted to negotiate the crossing, but was struck forcibly by the engine and. thrown on to the cattle-stop, where it overturned. The driver of the car, Mr. N. R. Sell, of Palmerston North, having escaped serious injury, assisted out Miss Dorothy Timms, the other occupant, who was suffering from shock and abrasions. The young lady was conveyed to Palmerston by car, where she received attention at the Public Hospital, and was later able to proceed to her home. So great was the impact that the train was broken in half, the couplings between two of the carriages being severed and the two parts of the train separated bv a distance of thirty or forty feet. 'After a short delay, when necessary repairs were effected, the train was able to proceed to its destination.

The crossing at the scene of the accident is said to be a dangerous one, and has been concerned in previous mishaps.