RAILWAY DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1928, Page 2

RAILWAY DISASTER

A SHOCKING SMASH.

MANY PASSENGERS KILLED

Australian. Press Assn.—United Service

LONDON, June 28. A crowded excursion train from Scarborough to Newcastle collided with a goods train, outside Darlington station, just before midnight. Two coaches telescoped and distressing scenes are reported. ■Six persons were killed and thirty persons were injured. The North Eastern Railway Company state that 22 persons were killed and 47 persons injured in the railway disaster to the excursion train.

Twenty of those injured have since been released from the hospital. 1 (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, June 28. The excursion disaster at Darlington was far more serious than at first reported. The death roll is now twen-ty-two. The collision took place at 12.20 hut it was hours before it was possible to extricate the bodies. Salvage is still proceeding-at the scene of the disaster, which is three hundred, yards south of Darlington station. Owing to the Newcastle races, the week is regarded as a holiday at Tyneside, so the excursion train held at least 500 passengers, who crowded ten corridor coaches. The train was not scheduled to stop at Darlington hut approached the station slowly. As it entne to Darlington south crossing an engine left the station with a van for shunting purposes into which the excursion dashed. The passenger engine hurled aside the shunting van which resembled a crumpled cigarette box. The electric lights were instantly extinguished but it was plain that the passengers of two coaches were shockingly mangled. Cries and groans were heard in the darkness which was only broken by a line of smoke belching from tho engines which apparently were afire. Rows of seats were crushed on top of each other with broken humans between. Arms and legs hanging by threads of skin, Wangled over the sides of the seats 'Spinv being women and children whose cries for help were pitiable. The rescuers, at first wove unable to do anything to mitigate the worst horrors though they assisted the uninjured to crawl from the wreckage. Further frantic efforts to hack and prise tho woodwork released others, the least hurt. The third coach of the passengers train had telescoped into the second. Men used saws and axes in order to cut into the wreckage and a breakdown crane was on the scene within twenty minutes. Darlington tiro brigade and residents who were roused from sleep were assisting railway gangsmen, hut the rescue was all too slow. Doctors administered morphia in order to fortify the sufferers during the ordeal .of being extricated.