WOODEN CARRIAGES

Evening Star, Issue 22444, 15 September 1936, Page 6

WOODEN CARRIAGES

RAILWAYS POLICY ENGLISH PRACTICE Agreeing with the remarks of Mr 5. Cory-Wright at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce meeting on Thursday night last, to the effect that it was fortunate that the first carriage involved in the Paraparaumu railway accident was a wooden one, Mr 6. H. Maekley, General Manager of Railways, said that if the car had been of steel the body would not have been thrown clear of the passengers. As it was the car remained on the rails and ran clear of the engine. “ In England both steel and wooden cars are in use, but there is a difference of opinion in regard to which is the best form of construction, and there is a tendency to revert to the wooden construction,'” said Mr Maekley. “One of England’s latest trains, the Silver Jubilee, which is, incidentally, one of the fastest trains in the world, has cars of similar construction to the latest type used in New Zealand, this construction comprising steel anti-collision ends with steel panels attached to wooden framework, the car underframe being entirely of steel construction, entirely welded. , , , „ “ The leading car, which took the full force of the blow at Paraparaumu, was not of the latest construction in that the anti-collision ends were not provided,, but it is doubtful in view of the peculiar nature of the circumstances if steel anti-collision ends would in any way have minimised the effects of the accident. “ Considering the speed of the tram at the time of the accident and the fact that the slip had formed what was practically a solid bank, the manner in which the rolling stock stood up to the strain was a striking testimony to the design and method of construction followed and the faithful workmanship which is typical of New Zealand railway standards.”