TRAIN TRAPPED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1939, Page 4

TRAIN TRAPPED

RAN INTO SNOWDRIFT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, July 27. Appearing to bring to an end one of the severest falls of snow in the back country of Southland, a thaw began this morning and continued throughout the day.' Heavy rain in many parts accelerated the thaw, but further inlahd there is still a heavy coating of snow, and it will probably be several days before tht snow clears off the.Sat country- Drifts of almost unprecedented depth have gathered in the northern .part of the province, delaying the clearing of the roads. A train crew and two passengers, Mr. and Mrs. H. Mackenzie, of Walter Peak Station, were marooned at Eyre Creek, about 12 miles from Lumsden, last night' and were forced to spend the night^ in the train. They were not rescued till noon today. The train which left Lumsden for Kingston ran into a six-foot snowdrift and, as it was on a downgrade, the engine had not sufficient power to back out. Stores were found among the freight, and these were broached for meals for the crew and* passengers. The engine was fired regularly to maintain steam for heating the carriage. When a relief train arrived this morning the combined power of three engines was needed to release the trapped train The relief train then went on in an attempt to reach Kingston, but after being stuck for a time m a twelve-foot drift the journey was ended at Garston.

At the Homer Tunnel Public Works camp there is an acute shortage of flour and no yeast. There is no likelihood of supplies being taken in till after the ■ weekend, as some of the drifts are 15 feet deep.

Queenstown is isolated and has received no meals or provisions since Monday. There is a fairly acute shortage of butter eggs, and coal. Station holders have been facing the danger of serious stock losses. Where possible, station owners have been sledging their sheep to shearing sheds and other shelters, and all are forced to hand-feed stock.