Railway Accident at Invercargill.

Manawatu Herald, 29 March 1900, Page 3

Railway Accident at Invercargill.

» An excursion train from Dunedin bringing back visitors to Invercargill who had witnessed the embarkation of the Contingent was derailed when approaching the station at 6. o'clock on Monday morning. The train was a long one, drawn by two heavy engines. It is alleged that the points had been tampered with causing the first engine to run into Messrs Fleming and Gilkison's siding and leave the rails. The force behind capsized her tender, it being held in the air, and the nose of the second engine was torn away by the impact. Two of the trucks were also damaged. The driver of the first train was slightly injured, and a passenger named Turnbull, a wool classer, had to be removed to the hospital. It is extremely fortunate that the train pulled up at Ellis-road station, 200 yards from the scene of the accident, and therefore had little speed up. Otherwise the results would have been terrible. It was reported by passengers that three men fell off the train on the way down not far from Dunedin. The first engine stuck to the main line, but the second ran into the siding, capsizing the tender. The railway authorities assert that the points had been tampered with by some one possessing special knowledge. By making a small deviation through traffic to Dunedin has been established. THE OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONw^ The Traffic Manager at Invercargill, reporting to the General Manager on the accident, states that he was on the ipot shortly after the accident, and examined the place. The lock had been opened and the points, jammed at half cock with some stones. The , look had evidently been opened with > the proper key, or a key filed to fit, J^d the whole done by some person who understood the working. The last work done at the siding was after 6 on Saturday, and the two shunters left everything safe. The first "special" from Dunedin passed through the goints at seven minutes to 6 o'clock on unday, and everything was then all right, so that the points were tampered with between that time and 6 o'clock j Monday morning. Had the train not ; stopped at Ellis-road, the accident would have been a very serious one. The Railway Department is offering a reward of £ioo for the discovery of the perpetrator.