SHANNON CROSSING TRAGEDY

Shannon News, 26 April 1929, Page 3

SHANNON CROSSING TRAGEDY

CONCLUSION OF INQUEST. NO LIGHT ON CAUSES. The Coroner's inquest into the circumstances surrounding the double fatality at the Vance Street railway crossing on Satuiday was continued, 'by Mr A. Eraser, Coroner, on Wednesday. The evidence was led by Constable Blaikie, and Mr McGonagle represented the Railway Department. Little new light was thrown on the causes of the collision. Frederick Thomas Tietjcns said he was? guard in charge of the southbound Auckland express on Saturday. The train was timed to pass through Shannon at 10.5 a.m. and was running exactly on time. On., ppproaching Shannon the condition was to whistle for the signal, which was done. The signal was given and acknowledged by another whistle. This would be just after passing the first signal. The engine then gave a loud whistle for the second crossing. The train would be just past the station; about five chains i from the crossing. The train was then travelling at its usual spejed of 45 miles per hour. The first intimation witness had of anything being wrongwas the operation of the brakes before 'the train reached the. crossing. The train stopped about two car lengths south of the Vance Street crossing. On getting out of the train he saw a collision hald taken place between the train and a motor-lorry and that one man was killed and another seriously injured. He sent the attendant through the train to see if a doctor was available. There being none, he placed the injured man on a stretcher in the van and he was taken to Levin where :i doctor met the train, but found that the injured man was dead. He was unconscious throughout the journey. Everything possible was done to bring him round. Not more than ten minutes claused from the time the collision took place till the train left for Levin. Albert Ernest Meacham, engine-dri-ver, detaiiled the conditions in regard to crossing and-whistles. After passing through the station a loud and long whistle was given for the Vance Street crossing. He saw a lorry approaching and he held on to the whistle longer than usual. It was approaching from west to east. It was about two chains from the crossing when he first saw it. The lorry was not travelling fast. It slowed up and gave every indication of stopping and then went forward again. He immediately used the emergency brake, but was unable to save a collision. The brakes acted very promptly. The speed when he applied the brakes was 45 miles an hour. The engine struck \the lorry pretty well fair in the middle. By the way the lorry slowed up, every indication was given that those on board had seen the train. James Kirkland Geddes, fireman on the train, gave coiroborative evidence. t The Coroner returned the following verdict: -''That Henry Edward Tre--mewan died on April 20th as the result of a collision between the Auckland express and a motor lorry in which he was riding, and that Joseph Chapman Retter met his death as the result of a collision between the Auckland express and a. motor lorry in which he was travelling, no blame being attachable to the train officials."