RACE TRAIN COLLISION

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1928, Page 1

RACE TRAIN COLLISION

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 10. Several racehorses, including Sir Archie, which won the Franklin Cup, narrowly escaped serious injury in a railway collision at Penrose Junction, shortly before 9 o’clock last night. Three waggons in the special race train, bringing horses hack to Ellerslie from Pukekohe meeting, were either derailed or overturned. Une was empty, another carrying three racehorse, and a third was carrying four. The waggon carrying the three horses Was completely overturned. Two men, J. Stunning ami J. D. Kemp, who were travelling in the attendants’ compartmen, jumped clear just in time. It was about two hours before the carriages cold be righted, and during tliis time the horses were kicking and struggling in frantic efforts to escape. Fortunately, none of them were seriously injured. The two trains concerned in the collision were both north-bound. The goods train, bound from Papatoe to Auckland, was coming back from tlio main north line at a point on tlio Auckland side of the station. There, were several empty trucks and unoccupied passenger cars, which wore to lie left at Penrose Yards. The race special, with its carloads of horses entered the station slowly and passed through. The goods train was backing into the yards, and both wore moving slowly. At the end of the goods train was a passenger car, which was derailed by tlio collision, while tlio engine, of the. race special was slightly damaged. Behind it was an empty horse waggon, the horses occupying it having been taken out at Otahuhu. It was completely derailed. Behind it was a waggon containing three horses owned by F. S. Stunning—Sir Archie, Sir Henry and Spalmore, which was completely overturned, and lay across the line on its side. Mr J. Stemiing was on tlio point of entering one of the compartments to place a halter on one of the horses when lie collision came, and ho jumped clear. Had ho entered the compartment bo would have been trapped with a horse mad from terror, and his chance of escape would have been very slight. The third waggon was partially derailed. It contained four horses, three of which belonged to J. Williamson. After the collision the attendants from the race train and station bands gathered round the scene, but it was realised that any attempt to rescuo .the imprisoned horses would bo hopeless until the waggons were restored to the track. As it was Saturday night, some difficulty was experienced in getting together a relief gang, but a party of men arrived as .soon as possible. Meanwhile, the owners and trainers were impatient to ascertain whether their horses bad been injured. Eventually the derailed waggons were righted. but this was not until shortly before midnight, the repair gang having lirst concentrated their attention on clearing the way for traffic. Although none of the horses was .seriously injured, several bad lost skin, and were badly bruised, through l-lieir efforts to kick their way clear from tlio overturned trucks. The injuries to Sir Archie were the most serious. One ot .Mr Williamson's horses. Vallar. lost skin from its bocks. None of the overturned or derailed waggons was badly damaged, but some were a little, splintered.