RAILWAY SMASH NARROW AVERTED.

Shannon News, 23 March 1923, Page 3

RAILWAY SMASH NARROW AVERTED.

AXLE•BREAKS NEAR LONGUEAN BRIDGE.

WAGGONS) I,KAV E I

The railway lime-table was disorganised on Wednesday by a derailment tit the approach to the runway bridge at Longburn, which might have ended in a disaster ol the lirsi magnitude had n occurred' on the bridge instead ot .vnere it did. The accident was caused by the axle • breaking on one o_ ~i« wrgpus ol the slow mixed train vn.ru leaves Levin at 1.30 p.m. Interviewed later by a Times reporter, a passenger by the train staled that the lirst intimation the passenger,, had that anything was amiss was when the train pulled up with an alarming jolt, just on the beginning ol the curve swinging into the bridge. Upon getting out, they noticed immediately the wheel ol one ol Ijite waggons lying at the rear end ol the train beside the track. About tyvo chains further up on the train, one ol the L waggons, laden with coal, had capsized, at the same time derailing the adjoining truck. The axle was missing, and two ol the other wheels had also been smashed up like, timber, and pieces ol the under body were .‘Strewn along the line.

The train had pulled up within about two chains of* where the wheel had come off, and looking back over the line which the train had just traversed, it was noticeable that the broken axle had ploughed a deep furrow and cut up the sleepers between the tracks for as far as the eye could see. It was evident that the train hail continued, for about two chains alter }he wagon lost tlie axle and wheel. The two engines took the first portion .of’the train on,to Longburn f returning later with a small crew. The men unloaded the w.agon and alter about two hours succeeded in jacking it and throwing it to the side of the line. The * other wagon, which was lull of 615a1, was eventually put beck on the line. TJhe Main Trunk express was held up at. ’ Union the while.

But the disturbing factor of the accident—a. truth that was apparent to' every, passenger on bqard—was tlie nearness to .the Manawtu bridge of the scene of ’/the breakdown. When ihe train pulled up,'it lacked only a chain or two of the bridge. Had the wheel left tlie waggon but a lew seconds biter—when the train was on the. bridge—there would most certainly have resulted a very serious smash, it not the total fall ol the train from ihe bridge. In the words ol one of the railway men: “Anything might have happened—we’d have taken a longer journey than a trip, to Palmerston North.”

The, train whs a big one with two engines, and the truck with the broken axle was about in 'the middle of the train, some of the trucks carrying pig iron and heavy railway rolling gear. Thus it is evident that it the wheel left the waggon white on the bridge, the truck would most certainly 7 have crashed through the wooden sides, and dragged with it the remaining* waggons, trucks and carriages.

The train, was pulled upVwith commendable promptitude. After, being set right again, it steamed into Palmerston North •station little the'worse lor the accident that might have ended so: disastrously... •' The' Auckland’ express reached Palmerston North at 5.20 p.im, instead of 3.45 p.m.,-departing again at 5.34. The train from,New Plymouth was held at Palrttension North station, departing at 4.52 p.in., and reaching Levin at G o’clock. . -