An Eventful Railway Journey.

Manawatu Herald, 10 March 1896, Page 2

An Eventful Railway Journey.

A late issue of the Melbourne Atgus gives tho following ilisirafcion of the state of the Victorian railway rolling stock, which it will be wiaa

» ■ — — id consider and note so that; false economy may not be practised in oilr own lair land; Everything was ready for tne special train to start for Korrnraburra. His Excellency the Governor anMpdy Brassey, accompanied by th^Warl of Shaftesbury; had taken their seats in Governor's carriage. Mr Fitzpatrick, the traffic manager abd Mr Thompson, the locomotive "Islifterintendant, were also on board, and as the department had been given a full week's notice, there seemed a reasonable probability that no hitches would occur. The whistle sounded — and the special train stood still. Only a spasmodic skidding of the wheels and a series of convulsive ejaculations from the escape valve served to indicate that the engine was not quite well. Then a small crowd gathered, but the locomotive still jibbed determinedly, and eventually was taken off and cajooled away to the engine shed. The official report showed that a screw, a bolt, and an eccentric were in some complicated manner to blame for the e^tretemps, and, a second engine having been lassoocd and harnessed up, a start was definitely made 20 minutes behind time. All went well until Dandenong was reached, when it was discovered that tha new iron horse was' deficient in staying power ; and as there were some stiff gradients to be sui mounted, and as no one wanted to run the risk of having to ask His Excellency the Governor and the Earl of Shaftes* bury to get out and push behind, the engine was cast loose, and a third locomotive, which was standing in the station waiting to drag a goods train down to Melbourne, was impounded. The new comer proved to be a hardy little creature, pos sessed of considerable strength and endurance, and it pulled the Viceregal and Parliamentary party up to Nyora, where it was, given a wellearned rest and a great many buckets of water in the hope that it would persevere. Apart from the fact that tlfc engine driver burnt his finger lather, badly the remainder of the journey to Korumburra was accomplished without further mishap. With the commencement of the return journey from the Coal Creek mine came a renewal of the t?xciting incidents which had marked the run from Melbourne. Although the train consisted of only three cars it was too much for the engine, which made an ineffectual attempt to surmount the first gradient, and .wag obliged to run back again into the Biding for a fresh start. At the next attempt the drixer took a good ran at the incline, and a genera) ieeMeg^oi relief was experienced when the gallant little locomotive, with a few quick snorts, climbed the hill triumphantly and made its .way back to Korumburra. There was a slight delay at the railway station, and the train was half an hour behind the advertised time when it started at last at 6 o'clock, for Melfa aurne. But if it found^some difficulty in climbing the gradients it found none whatever in descending them, and with half an hour to make up on the road, the enginedriver laid himself out to his work in earnest. Be sent that hardy little locomotive alcng for all she was worth, and the tnin fairly flew down* tho steep inoline from Korumburra to Nyora. As the Ministerial car swung round one particularly sharp curve, leaning over like a circus horse galloping round the riag, Mr Price-Williams, the railway expert, removed his cigar and ejaculated softly, " We are going over 50 miles an hour now, and the road was never intended for more than 25." Then he went on to explain with his teeth beating a tattoo as the car bounded, swayed, and jolted ever the matals, that for gnat speed it was necessary that the line should be strongly,, built, and that the outer rail should be " superelevated." " I can Bee," he added, as the car made a sudden lurch and then ft marvellous recovery, " that in this case the outer rail is not Buper»elevated." Still the train flew on, and the further it went the faster it flew. A few seconds' delay at Dandenong was all the time that could be allowed, for there were still a few minutes to be. made up, and then the journey was resumed at the same break-neck speed. Just before reaching Murrnmbeena a terrific lurch threw the passengers across the car, and a crash of broken glass an^unced that some damage had been done. It turned out to be Colonel Goldstein, the secretary of Leongatha labour colony, who was thrown half way out of the window, but got back safely and escaped with a out head. Finally the train drew up at Prinee'sbridge, and Mv PriceWilliams heaved a sigh of thankfulness as he mopped the top of his head with his handkerchief. " I have never had such an anxious journey in . ray life," he said ; " t&ank goodness it is over." He is tkbmi tc furnish the Government with a report on the state of the permanent way, and hi 3 experience should be useful.