SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9124, 18 April 1908, Page 5

SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT

| TWO TRAINS COLLIDE,

Press Association. —Copyright. Sydney, April 17.

At an early hour this morning the Brisbane mail train crashed into the second division of the Glen lunes mail train at Murrandindi.

For some unexplained reason the two trains mot on the one sot of rails. The Glen train was just moving out as the Brisbane mail came in, the former train being drawn by two engines. They came together with a terrific impact, and one locomotive [ shot on top of the other.

The Glen lunes train, which had but few passengers, suffered most, the first car being considerably wrecked, and all the occupants were more or less injured. Two of the compartments of the first cai of the Brisbane mail were stove in, and the passengers hurt. The force of infantry bound for the Easter encampment rendered great service pu extricating the injured.

The night was pitch dark, and it took some considerable time to get the injured people out of the wreckage.

None of the passengers was killed, but the drivers and firemen bad a marvellous escape. 20 passengers were injured, and two seriously. One man had his right arm and both legs broken; another both legs broken; two [ others had their legs broken, and the rest were cut and bruised. LATER DETAILS. Received April 18, 10.25 a.m. Sydney, April 18. The engines were badly smashed and two carriages in each train demolished. It is believed the accident was caused through a mistake in the signals. Where the blunder actually occurred is unknown. The Glen Innes train was running late owing to heavy holiday traffic and was in the act of pulling on tortile loop liue'to allow the Brisbane train to pass. When they saw that a collision wasimmineut both drivers applied the brakes but too late [to avert a collision. The sound of the impact was heard a mile away. Debris was hurled a long distance. A buffer was found 10 yards away. The soldiers used their bayonets in freeing the injured caught amongst the splintered timbers. That no one was killed is attributed to the fact that the soldiers and other passengers were mostly laying down and sleeping. After the first shock and excitement the troops displayed fine discipline. The injured are doing well.