TRAINS IN COLLISION: BAD SMASH AVERTED

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12611, 23 November 1926, Page 7

TRAINS IN COLLISION: BAD SMASH AVERTED

PASSENGERS HAVE NARROW ESCAPE: “LUCKY TO BE ALIVE”

(By Telegraph Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND. November 22. A bad train smash was narrowly averted at Ngaruawaliia this afternoon, when the express bound from Auckland to Rotorua collided with a heavily-laden coal train which was foul of the points. The passengers had a very narrow escape, and both engines were badly battered. A relief engine sent from Frankton pulled the express through, after two and a half hours’ delay. The train arrived at Frankton at 3.40 p.m., where the smashed carriages were shunted off, and the passengers transferred. A head-on collision was narrowly averted, and the results might have been disastrous had the colliery train protruded another few inches on to the main line, for the whole side of the first three or four carriages would have been ripped out, with serious loss of life* LADY FERGUSSON ON BOARD. As it was, the sides of the light car-

riages grated past the protruding engine before the express was pulled up. The woodwork of the carriages almost the .length of the train was splintered and many windows smashed. The shunting engine failed to clear the line before it was struck by the oncoming express. After applying the brakes, the driver and fireman of the colliery train jumped, an act to which they owe their lives. j The express was travelling at a fair rate, and the engines were badly smashed, the shunting one being derailed. Steam escaped in dense clouds, but fortunately no one was injured. Several jumped off before the express stopped. Among the passengers was Lady Alice Fergusson, bound for Rotorua. Lady Fergusson occupied the last carriage, . and did not even receive a shock.

The passengers count their escape fortunate, and say they are lucky to b. alive.