Railway Accidents.

Manawatu Herald, 29 December 1898, Page 2

Railway Accidents.

On Saturday afternoon a railway accident that might have carried serious consequences with it occurred at Woodville saya the Standard. It appears that as a mixed goods train was approaching the station from Napier the points of the main line were wrongly set, and instead of the train running up to the station il ran on to a siding, colliding with a shunting train from Palmerston. The result was that three tracks were smashed up, and one of the shunters considerably shaken. The debris was soon cleared away, and the Wellington train went on after a delay of about two hours. While the 4.10 train was returning from Woodville the same day a man named William. Erickson, who was under the influence of liquor, began to behave in an extraordinary manner, first divesting himself of his coat and vest and carrying on with considerable levity. Finally, as the train was near the second tunnel in the Gorge, he fell off, a fact that was not noticed for some time. When he was missed the train was stopped and Guard Cavanagh went back about 2£ miles and placed Erickson on a tricycU and sent him on lo Woodville. On arrival there it was found that hitshoulder and side were injured, and he had a scalp wound on the head, but none of the injuries are likely to prove serious.