A RUNAWAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 September 1924, Page 6

A RUNAWAY.

TRAIN’S DASH THROUGH TUNNEL.

DRIVER. OVERCOME. Both driver and fireman of a goods train travelling through the Liverpool Mountains on Friday were overcome by the smoke fumes in a tunnel, and the train became out of control, the Sydney Morning Herald of August 18 reports. Rocking from side to side, and steaming at its highest speed downhill, the train careered madly out of the tunnel and through the little station of Ardglen. The guard, amazed! at the .reckless speed of the train, and expecting it each minute to leave the rails, finally applied the Westinghouse air brake, and the train was stopped. A strange sight awaited hint when he ran to the engine and found both the engine-driver and his fireman in a comatose state.

Driver Kelly and Fireman George Hillier, both of Muswellbrook, were in charge of the engine, which was taking a, goods train from Muswellbrook to Werris Creek, on Friday morning. The train left on time, and was making good running all the way. The steep incline in the Ardglen tunnel was negotiated with the usual straining, and then, where the incline in the tunnel becomes a down-grade, the train began to clap bn pace. The train roared through the mouth of the tunnel and tore through the deserted little station of Ardglen with the stationmaster waitiftg near his office with the staff to exchange with the driver of the engine. He was amazed to find l that the train did not pull up, and, waving his arms, he shouted frantically at the guard, leaning from his van;" as it tore past. The guard, at first surprised by* the un-heard-of speed of the train, was now sure that something untoward had occurred on the footplate of the engine. He operated. the Westinghouse- air brakes from his van. Every wheel was immediately locked, and with a ’grinding that shook the train from end to end it came to a standstill. Leaving the brakes still operative, the guard sprang .down the permanent way, and rail along to the engine cabin. There he was confronted by a remarkable sight. Sprawled unconscious on the footplate was Driver Kelly 'and his mate, both breathing heavily as though they had bben chloroformed. The fireman was groaning, although he appeared to be the least affected of the two. His hand was extended towards the regulator, which it is understood he shut off before he. lost consciousness.

The guard climbed into the engine cabin, and tried to shake them into sensibility, but they were still deep in a sense of coma. It was some time before he' could make them even hear or understand him, and at last, although they -were both deeply affected, they brought the train on*to where a relief driver and fireman could be obtained to continue the long journey. The driver and the fireman were brought back to Muswellbrook, where they both received treatment. They had; passed through an unenviable experience.

It is unaccountable that the fumes from the engine should have been sufficiently powerful to overcome them in the tunnel. When the tunnel is entered an up-grade is encountered, and an engine has to steam at its full capacity. Volumes of smoke are belched forth, and the tunnel is choked with smoke. Passengers always find it an unpleasant experience, hut seldom aie they much affected by the smoke. As the end of this tunnel is approached the summit of the incline is reached, and the permanent way takes a down-grade in the direction of the wayside station of Ardglen. After the summit is reached no power is required to draw the train, and steam can he shut off and the train allowed to travel down with its own weight. So it is that the return journey through the tunnel, which is almost all downhill, is not found- unpleasant by passengers. The engine does not steam down, and so the tunnel does not become choked )' ith_ the thick black coal smoke and choking fumes. It must have been as the decline was reached, and the train still steaming to its utmost strength, began to tear towards the tunnel’s, mouth, that Fireman Hillier managed to shut the regulator. Then, so it is understood, he lapsed once more into consciousness, and, with Driver Kelly, remembered no more until awakened bv the guard. The tunnel in which the two men were overcome is well known to travellers. It cuts through the rugged Liverpool Ranges, and provides a deviation that allows the railway to escape. much wild and mountainous country.