Railway Accident.

Manawatu Herald, 6 May 1897, Page 4

Railway Accident.

TLe Monday morning train from EkeahuDa to Wellington met with what might have been an awkward accident. The Times says the accident happened about two miles on the northern side of Kaitoke, and was occasioned by a new rail, which was being laid down, " spreading." A gang of platelayers had be^n at work and the rail was only tempo-, rarily fastened to the sleepers. The train, which comprised three passenger carriages, a guard's van and horse-box, was travelling at the rate of about 25 miles an hour, and had just rounded a curve when it came on to the new rail. The engine negotiated it in safety,. but as soon as the carriages reached it they became derailed, and after bumping along tb> slee^i.?, fell over the of an embankment. Had it not been that the engine and horsebox remained on the rails and that the couplings of t'~e carriages held together, forming a complete loop line 1 from one to the other, tv< j consequences would h<\ve been of a very serious nature. As i& is, they are quite bad enough, for one lady — Mrs Headland, of Petone — had her collarbone broken She, with her husband, Dr Findlay, Mr Sim and several children, was in one of the new carriages of the '" bird-cage " pattern. When this carriage left the rails it turned completely over, and the condition of the passengers can be better imagined than described. Fortunately the roof was torn off, and by this means they were enabled to make their escape. The passengers were brought into town by the special, and arrived shortly before three o'clock yesterday afternoon.