EXPRESS DERAILED.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1923, Page 3

EXPRESS DERAILED.

NEAR ARTHUR’S PASS. [iil TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION'] CHRISTCHURCH. Alareh G. The engine of the Arthur’s PassChristehnrch train was derailed at Cora Lynn station, nine miles from the Pass, at 2.J0 this afternoon. The cause is unknown. There were no casualties. A special train, with a break-down gangleft Christchurch at -1.10 and is timed to arrive back at midnight with the passengers from the A Vest Coast. FURTHER PARTICULARS 0 CHRISTCHURCH. Alareh 7. The express which left Arthur’s Pass at 2.2(1 p.m. yesterday carrying over fifty passengers from the West Coast was derailed near Cora l.ynn station at 2.15 p.m. The engine, tender, three I, wagons and two carriages were damaged. There were no casualties, but the driver and fireman escaped injury by a miracle. The accident appears to be due to an unlocked set ol points, two or three hundred yards on the Arthur’s Pass side of Cora Lynn. The train was proceeding at a low .speed through a cutting and slowing lip for tin station. There was a loopline at the spot ami the points connecting this with the main line caused the trouble. The enginci struck the hall-closed points and left the rails. The Wcstinghou- • Ii rake was immediately applied bv tin driver whose promptitude probably averted a serious loss ol lile. I hitrain came to a slop alter travelling thirty to forty van);. The permanent I way was ploughed up to a depth ol I some Let. the wheels of the tender j being almost buried. The engine stopped in a precarious position, hanging over a small gully on the side ol tie' line t'.t an angle ol 15 degrees. Il was necessary ti use bulk timber to slay it i:■ •. The cimir.e ploughed ti- way completely across the track and b!u"k< d the loop as well as the main hue. I love *. wagons next to the tender were comtelv telescoped portion, being smashed to matchwood, and the ironwork bent or broken. The- upper part of one wagon was torn 011 the liogev and Hung into the gully. The linos were twisted and broken as if made of wire. The presence of the wagons next to the engine and tender saved a first class smoker next to them from destruction. If the train had been travelling at a great or speed the smoker would also have been telescoped, as it had already 101 l its level position when the train siopp'. d. The smoker was dragged along the permanent way completely Oil' tilt' rails. The next carriage, a birdcage, was partly derailed, tin Iron! wheels being oil the line. The rest of (he train eseapnd damage’. Ihe passengers in the rear of the tram did not feel' the effects ol the accident very severely, as tin* carriages kept to ill rails, hut the occupants of the smoker had a nerve racking experience.

\ relief train arrived shortly hcfoie S ni. and the journey to Christchurch ,v:is resumed at 8.15 p.m. and arm .! ,:l Christchurch at 12.15 a.m. IV-.cii gel's lor the North fslalid were constderuhlv inconvenienced through missing , <olll.* lion with Dm ferry stcanmr.