VANS CAPSIZED AT OTAHUHU

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 173, 12 October 1927, Page 1

VANS CAPSIZED AT OTAHUHU

EARLY MORNING MISHAP DERAILED WAGON DRAGGED A MILE Circumstances practically identical to those responsible for the recent Mahia accident were the cause of another raiiway mishap at about four o’clock this morning, when two vans were capsized and two others derailed at the entrance tc the Otahuhu station. A T Mahia, barely four weeks ago, the tail-end of a mixed passenger and goods train was piled up on the station platform as the result of the derailment of a goods wagon which had been dragged unnoticed for about half a mile. A derailed butter wagon was the cause of this morning’s accident. From marks on the track it is apparent that the van left the line at a point between Papatoetoe and Otahuhu and rode unnoticed on the sleepers for over a mile until approaching the entrance to the latter station. Crossing the points near the overhead bridge at the entrance to the station yard the derailed van encountered an obstacle to further progress off the beaten track in the shape of a diverging line which forced it to the left, capsizing it and the following van and derailing two other wagons. The train was the Wednesday morning special stock train bringing stock to the Westfield market and also goods to Auckland and consisted ot 43 trucks and vans, 15 trucks of stock being carried at'the head cf the train. The goods portion, part of which comprised the vans derailed, was at the rear of the train. The capsized vans contained a consignment of butter and pieces of this commodity were scattered along the track near the scene of the accident. Although the sides of the vans have been broken in no great damage to the rolling stock has been caused. As a result of the accident, goods traffic was slightly held up, but to no serious extent, the longest delay occasioned being to the 4.5 a.m. train from Auckland to Hamilton, which was held up at Otahuhu for nearly two hours. A repair gang was busy this morning removing the damaged vans.