MOTOR LYING ON RAILS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 60, 4 December 1926, Page 8

MOTOR LYING ON RAILS

. NAPIER EXPRESS DELAYED According to a motorist travelling from Paraparaumu to Wellington yesterday afternoon, McKay’s Crossing, which is about one mile north of the Paekakariki station, and which was some time ago the scene of a fatal level-crossing accident, was the scene of one of lesser gravity at about 3.5 p.m yesterdav, one which was incidentally 'the cause of the southwardbound Napier express being delayed for about ten minutes.

The motorist who tells the tale was drawing near the crossing, when he noticed a five-seater touring car ahead of him. There is a small bridge which motorists coming from Paraparaumu must cross before they reach the railway line, and it was this bridge which was the cause of (he accident to the touring car in question. The driver. of the car came over the bridge, and tried to get round over the crossing. As he was preparing to cross, however, he hit the bank, and the car capsized right over the railway line, where it lay on its side, its wheels facing north. There were at the time some men working on the road with a tractor These men saw what had happened, and rushed along to render what assistance they could As thev approached the car, two men extracted themselves from it, only to be informed that the Napier mail was due, and would be there at any minute With this thought to spur them on, all hands gave what assistance they could, but it was too late for the car to be removed from the line before the train arrived. So one of the passengers in the car rati along the railway line towards the workman’s cottage, which is situated a little north of the crossing. When he saw the train approaching he stood in the middle of the track, furiously waving his arms, and had his reward for his efforts when the express was seen to slow down and eventually to stop. With this danger averted, roadmen and motorists set to work to remove the car from the railway line, while their efforts were watched by the more curious of the passengers on the train After about ten minutes spent in this arduous task, the men were able, with the help of the tractor, to drag the car off the rails. The express then proceeded on its journev, while the car was soon set upon its wheels again It was found to be little the worse for its adventure, and was able to continue on its wav south, carrying two nassengers who were ven’ pleased the* *hev were able to travel at all.