TRAIN DERAILED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3624, 9 April 1927, Page 2

TRAIN DERAILED.

. NO ONE INJURED. Dunedin, Last Night. At an early hour this morning the Green Island railway station was the scene of what might have proved to have been a much more serious smash than was actually the case, though as it was, fairly substantial damage resulted. A goods train bound from Balclutha to Dunedin was running a good deal behind time when it reached Green Island. At 1.30 this morning as it was passing Smelie’fjs bridge at the north end of the station the axle of one of the wagons broke, this obstructing the six following wagons, which derailed them.

The goods being carried at the time were principally coal and timber, which were scattered all over the place. The train comprised 34 wagons, and considering the force with which they jammed, it is a •wonder that some of the derailed wagons were not smashed to pieces. But though several were badly damaged and all had to be discharged, it was possible to put several of them on the line again, others being loaded in wagons and sent to the workshops. No one was hurt.

A breakdown train was despatched from Dunedin, and arrived at Green Isbnd about an hour or so after the accident, commencing operations without the least delay. Twenty-two men were engaged (\n the work, the breakdown train including a crane, a van with all equipment, and wagons containing necessary material. At the time of the smash the train was travelling at a normal rate of speed, about 20 miles per hour, and no very great damage to the permanent way resulted fiom the derailment.