MIDNIGHT CRASH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23916, 18 September 1939, Page 6

MIDNIGHT CRASH

EXPRESS AND GOODS TRAIN COLLISION IN TUNNEL PASSENGERS ESCAPE INJURY (Per United Press Association) TAUMARUNUI, Sept. 16. The New Plymcdh-Auckland express collided head on with a goods train in a small tunnel north of Tuhua, near Matiere, on the Stratford main trunk line about midnight. The luggage van behind the engine saved the passengers on the express from possible injury, as the engine telescoped about 12ft into the van. There were only three passengers in the leading compartment, and none were injured. The engine crews also escaped injury. The driver of the express saw the approaching lights of the engines and applied the brakes hard, the trains meeting at the slow speed of about 10 miles an hour. Many of the passengers were thrown from their seats by the impact. The goods train was extensively damaged, the first three trucks being a tangled mass. The first truck, filled with coal, rode on top of the second truck, which was almost broken in two. The third truck was twisted across the line. Another truck and luggage van were also damaged. Taxis from Taumarunui went to Tuhua at 3.30 o’clock and brought the passengers to Taumarunui, the last of them arriving at 8 o’clock this morning. Mr G. H. Mackley, general manager of railways, Mr J. Dow, district engineer, Mr W. F. Langbein, assistant district engineer, and Mr W. Bond, traffic inspector, arrived at Taumarunui early this morning and proceeded to the scene of the accident. In an interview, Mr Mackley said that four wagons were derailed behind the goods engine. They were removed from the tunnel and taken to Okahukura. The goods van behind the express engine was damaged. but the engines were not derailed. Train instructions were given in the usual way, but as the goods train was running a little late and the express was slightly behind its scheduled time, the advice was altered at Ohura and the crossing of the two trains was fixed to take place at Tuhua instead of the usual place. The driver of the express overran the crossing at Tuhua and entered the tunnel a mile further on, colliding with the goods train. The stationmaster at Ohlira advised both the driver and guard on the express of the altered instructions, and the driver gave the usual written receipt for his instructions. The stationmaster at Ohura also discussed the matter with the driver and guard at Ohura, A departmental inquiry will be held.