MERCER

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 278, 25 May 1917, Page 1

MERCER

RAILWAY PORTER'S DEATH • SHUNTING METHODS CRITICISED The inquest on the body of Harold Irwin Tomlinson, a railway porter, who was killed, as already reported, at Mercer station on Monday morning during shunting operations, was held at the Mercer Court house on Tuesday by Mr C. Roadley, District Coroner.

Inspector Trueman was present on behalf of the Railway Depaf tment, and Sergeant Cowan represented the Police.

Frederick Claude Tomlinson, coachpainter, of Heme Bay, identified the body as that of his brother, who was a single man, 36 years of age. Dr H. C. Wake, of Pukekohe, deposed that he bad examined the body, the lower part of which was crushed, the pelvis being fractured.

Henry Stanislau Webb, railway porter, stationed at Mercer, stated that although not on duty he was on the Mercer station platform on the arrival of the train from Auckland soon after 10 o'clock on Monday morning. Shortly after he saw three carriages and a waggon detached from the train and then two of the carriages were "kicked off" by the engine towards the stationary train. He estimated their speed as they approached the train at from nine to ten miles an hour. He saw deceased jump in between the carriages in motion and the stationary part of the train when about six or seven yards apart. The deceased placed his hand on the Westinghouse brake to stop the speed of the travelling carriages. Witness called to deceased to jump clear because he considered there was a possibility of his body being "bumped" as the carriages were travelling at a greater speed than usual when shunting. Had deceased jumped he would have had to land on the platform. The impact stove in the buffer on the stationary carriage crushed deceased. Before deceased got in between the carriages he ran across one set of rails from the yard. Shunter White and deceased were engaged in shunting, but the former could not see what had happened. Witness would have done the same as deceased did, it being the quickest way of stopping moving cars. Had deceased used the screw brake he would not have been in danger, but the distance between the carriages would not have been sufficient for those brakes to have been effective. Witness considered the occasion necessitated the using of the air brake as it was a case of emergency. Deceased had some thought for the passengers in the standing train. The Coroner suggested that if the Railway regulations had been followed an accident would not have occurred. If the brake was stiff it must have been neglected. Inspector Trueman was about to cross-examine the witness when the Coroner interposed and stated that if Inspector Trueman desired he could give expert evidence later. Inspector Trueman, however, was permitted to say that the regulations provided that in shunting the Westinghouse brake was only to to be used in an emergency. To have made the hand brake effective deceased would have had to board the cars near the signal box about 65 yards away and that interval would have been necessary to carry out the work successfully without injury to the rolling stock. John Samuel Thomas, porter employed at the Mercer station, giving evidence said he was on duty on the platform when the train from Auckland arrived." Witness saw deceased step off two cars and also saw another part of the same train coming towards the platform. These cars were travelling faster than usual bo he gave the "ease up" signal to the driver, thinking the engine was still attached to them, but found it was not. Witness then rushed to the front of the leading car to put on the air brake but deceased got ahead of him. Peceased got his hand on the tap of the brake but the cars collided and deceased was crushed. When deceased first attempted to apply the brake the two parts of the train were about 30 feet apart. From the time when he first saw deceased leave the two cars, when "kicked off" in the yard, to his attempt to apply the air brake the interval would not have been sufficient to have applied the hand brake effectively. Robert Paul Edwards, boiler maker, Auckland, deposed that lie was a passenger by the train to which the accident happened. He knew deceased and had some conversation with him whilst he was handling some goods. He saw deceased jump from the platform and attempt to work the air brake. Deceased appeared to turn his face towards the stationary part of the train as though attempting to regain the platform but was crushed by the impact of the cars. Witness and Porter Webb assisted to lift deceased on to the platform. He did not see anyone on the travelling part of the train but his whole attention was centred in deceased.

William Joseph White, shunter employed at Mercer station, said on the day in question he told deceased that he was "kicking off" two cars down to the loop and three "backs on" the main line. Deceased said he would catch the brakes. The cars and a "W" waggon were "kicked off" on the south side of the signal box. Witness noticed deceased get off two carriages on the siding and

also board two carriages while in motion and apply the brakes. William Wilson Eidgley, stationmaster, said he was on duty at Mer. cer station on the arrival of the train. He did not seG the first "kick oft" and did not notice the cars until they were passing the signal box, They would not be travelling at more than six miles an hour. He did not see deceased board the train to operate the brakes and he did not examine the taps after the accident. The Coroner : Who would be responsible after the arrival of a train?

Witness: The Stationmaster has full control.

Roland George Garlick, train examiner, said he examined the damaged car after the accident and found the hand brake in good order. The headstock, trimmer and buffer of one car were stove in and a portion of the air brake on the other car was broken.

Sergt. Cowan : Can you tell whether the tap on the air brake on the running portion of the train was up or down ? Witness: The tap was up and the train pipe closed, which isolated the air and put it out of action.

Inspector Trueman explained that there was not sufficient pressure for the brake to act.

The Coroner, in summing up, said that it seemed to him that there was want of judgment on - somebody's part in allowing the cars, to be kicked back from the engine on to the main portion of the train. Deceased had been instructed to run two cars down the side line on a down grade and his duties were onerous in having to do that and then rush back to intercept another oncoming portion of the train also on the down grade The accident was apparently purely accidental, but it should be impressed on the authorities that where a man was sent off to shunt someone should be deputed to attend to the main portion- of the train. His verdict was that the cause of death was accidental.

The immediate financial necessities of the Waikato River Board have been overcome by the receipt from the Government of the sum of £SOO towards the clearance of tributaries of the river. Consequently in the meantime there has been no development in regard to the threatened resignations of the members of the Board.