A Train Derailed.

Manawatu Herald, 16 August 1898, Page 3

A Train Derailed.

We team from the " Hawke's Bay-, Herald " that the accident which occurred to the Wellington-Napier train on Friday was very serious. It appears that about a mile north of Waipawa, v at 5.30 p.m. the engine came into collision with a cow at a cattle-stop, when the train was travelling between 30 and 40 miles an hour. There was a violent shock, which greatly startled the passengers, of whom there were about 20 on the train. The engine became uncoupled from the carriages, and going right over the obstruction, went on by herself for about a hundred yards, but remained on the line. The cars, however, did not fare so well. Three of them became derailed and toppled over, the passengers succeeding in making their exit by means of the windows. All escaped with a shaking, though one passenger jumped from the platform of a carriage whilst the cars were still in motion, and! landing on his face, was severely bruised. The mail van was next to the engine, and, was the first to suffer. This had as an occupant Mr R. Anderson, o? the Napier Post Office, in charge oi the mails, who went with it^ over an embankment when the coupling broke. He escaped, fortunately, any injury, but on bis arrival in Napier it was seen that he had had a rough time. The van landed on a very swampy bottom, and Mr Anderson suddenly found himself scrambling amongst a number of mail bags, in the niud and slush. Next' to the mail van was a firstclass carriage, unoccupied, and next to this was the "bird cage," in which were a number of ladies, and although naturally alarmed when the collision took place, they behaved with great calmness throughout. Both these cars toppled over on their sides. It was a miracle that the passengers escaped as they did, for not a limb wa» oroken in the mishap, which is remarkable when the seriousness of the accident is considered. As soon as news of the accident was received in Napier arrangements were at once made for sending relief, and a special train was despatched.