THE TRAIN SMASH

Hokitika Guardian, 4 September 1930, Page 6

THE TRAIN SMASH

A NARROW ESCAPE. '; V; FROAI FALL OVER VIADUCT. (By Telegrapri—Per Press Association J TA 111 A PE, Sept. 3. Only about.v one. hundred, separated the goods train/of trig) engines and 48 trucks loaded ;>vith.; opal, timber and miscellaneous-goods,,’ from a crash over the Mangawckji -viaduct; 140 feet high and 940 feet long last evening when the smash occurred at a. quarter, to. seven.. o’clock, . , , The usual train was late in leaving Taihape, owing to a Garrett engine being stranded near Ohakune, due to its excessive coal consumption.' The re-; arranged train left Tailiape at a quarter to six; and when ’2OO yardp prist the Alangaweka Viaduct, the automatic, application of the brakes, dueto a 'broken , hose in the Westingliouse' brake, stopped the train.. The /driverand the fireman hastened back and investigated. They ..found twenty-six trucks piled up, round a bend, in a jumbled maiss, filling the cutting, about 30 feet. high. About 50 yards of the railway line was torn up, broken, and twisted. Lengths of line were skewered through tho trucks.

At the rear four trucks and the guard’s van,' and at the front two engines' and 19 trucks were still left on the line.,

The length of ’ the front the train and the curve .cuttiqgvayero presumably the reason why the accbdetit ■ was hot detected sooner by the' driver. ’ .„, .

An inspection of the line reveals tlia about 100 . yards nearer the viaduct something, had struck the permanent way and the sleepers violent!v. The timber may have 'been badly stacked, and, after swaying, may lnlve recovered its equilibrium for 100 yards. Another theory is that there was a broken axle. Nothing definite or authoritative is available. It is -doubtful if the real cause will be discovered, owing to the extent of the damage. A big crane arrived at ten o’clock thin morning, and by midday only ten trucks remained to be restored to tile lilies or .stacked because of damage. The line wouild be dear 'by two o’clock. About 14 trucks appear to have been damaged beyond repair.

Many motor cars and lorries were requisitioned from Manga weka to transfer the passengers over the gap. The ordinary express left Tnihaue for Auckland at a quarter to eight this morning. 51