TRAIN DERAILED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 47, 17 October 1931, Page 5

TRAIN DERAILED

(Press Assn.—

near auckland seven vans wrecked and butter and mutton scattered * PASSENGERS ESCAPE INJURY

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

AUCKLAND, last night. j Seven insulated vans loaded with fr.ozen mutton and butter were wreck-

| ed and the permanent way blocked over a distance of about 50 yards ! through the partial derailment toI night of a niixed passenger and goods J train bound from Frankton to Auckland. The derailment occurred about hajf a mile south of the flag station at Karaka, 22 mfies south of Auckland. The train left Paerata, 25 miles south of Auckland at 7.16 p.m. and the derailment occurred a few minutes later as it was entering a cutting. ' " ' ' There were 27 goods vans, 2 passenger cars and one guards van in the train.' It was the 21st van from the engiiie that cansed the derailment. It parted completely from the train and catapulted over 20 feet 'to the left, bursting asunder as it did so. It was loaded with frozen mutton, which was scattered in all directions. The next van also became separated from those following and came to rest between the remains of the first van and the line. The other five vans and part of the first passenger car ran past these two, three of the vans being telescoped, and the wreckage scattered to right and left, forming a confused mess about 16 feet deep and about the same in width, right aeross the permanent way. Passengers Shaken The next two vans toppled over to the right and puljed the first passenger carriage off the rails with them. There were three passengers in the first, car and three in the second, all J men and they escaped with a shaking,

as also did the guard, who was looking out of the door of his van when the derailment occurred. There was a thunderous noise, three sharp jolts, and then the train stopped. In the front passenger car a porcelain water filter crashed to the floor, but this appeared to be the only damage in either of the passenger cars and the guard's van. None of the passengers was hurt. Within a short time surfacemen from Drury, Karaka and Paerata had started clearing away the wreckage.

advice was also received that a steam crane and other breakdown plant, together with further men, were being dispatched from Penrose. A long length of the line was damaged, the sleepers being smashed and the rails spread. It will occupy at least well into to-morrow before trains can pass through. Both the Wellington expresses are held up. Passengers on the Limited will get through, but no others.