TRAMCAR OUT OF CONTROL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 79, 20 April 1937, Page 7

TRAMCAR OUT OF CONTROL

—Press Associatioa.)

Too High Rate of Speed Blamed CORONER'S COMMENTS

(By Telegraph

DUNEDIN, Last Night. "We bave it tbat tbe track, tbe tram and its brakes were all in first-elasa order. How then did tbe accident occur? Tbe only feasible suggestion is tbat tbe tram was allowed to develop too bigb a rate of sjteed before tbe brakes were applied and tbat possibly tbe brakes were not applied witb tbe Utmost efficiency," said Mr. J. R, Bartbolomew, S.M., at tbe inquest tbis morning into tbe death of Jobn Nenny, * married man, aged 52, wbo was struck down and killed by * runaway tram on tbe Opoho line on Thursday morning. "It is diffioult to account for the occurrence otherwise tban in the mam ner I bave suggested," added the Coroner. "My verdict will be that death was due to injuries caused by being knocked down by a tramcar whicb left the rails after getting out of con* trol on Signal Hill road." Beviewing the evidenee, tbe Coroner said tbat it sbowed tbat tbe tranrhad travelled a dietanee of 220 yards beforo leaving tbe rails and anotber 30 yards before mounting the footpath. .Tbe grade was a steep one but tbe track was in good order. According to the evidenee it came down tbe bill at a very bigb rate of speed. Tbe motormap, Alfred Cbapman, bad said ho left the terminus in the uaual way, but wben it had gathered speed botb tbe magnetie and band brakes failed and tbat be was in the process of applying tbe third emergency brake wben tbe tram went oi? tbe line. Two of tbe three movements necessary for this latter operatipn bad actually taken place. Tbe question was: How did the tram come to get out of control? Examination sbowed that botb the magnetie and band brakes had not been put out of order by the upset and wero subsequently tested out over tbe snme routa and applied without difiiculty. According to tbe tramways manager tbero wU3 no record of tbe fiiilure of tbe magnetio brhkei eicept in case of fault.