SYMONDS ST. HOLD-UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 308, 20 March 1928, Page 16

SYMONDS ST. HOLD-UP

BROKEN AXLE DELAYS RUSH TRAFFIC LORRY ON TRAM RAILS Over one hundred tramcars, long lines of other vehicular traffic, and several thousand citizens, mostly hurrying homeward, were held up for itbout 20 minutes as the result of a blockage which occurred in Upper Symonds Street about 5.15 last evening. The breaking of the front axle of a light lorry was responsible. The lorry, loaded with timber, had just entered Symonds Street from the Hast street intersection, and was crossing tiie tram rails when the front axle gave way. Both tram rails were effectively blocked. Tramcars immediately began to pile up on both lines. At the top end the line of waiting cars extended right round into Khyber Pass and down in the other direction toward Dominion Road. At the lower end the blockage extended out of sight well down below the bridge and round into Karangal’Jtpe Road. Vehicular traffic from the side streets was brought to a standstill. while traffic on Grafton Bridge quickly began to pile up. Other vehicular traffic in Symonds Street was also brought practically to a standstill, and this, added to the hundreds of pedestrians all hurrying to the scene of the blockage, helped to contribute to the impression that a serious accident had occurred. Little time was lost in rushing a hreakdown lorry to the spot from John breakdown lorry to the spcfc from a nearby garage, but it was several minutes before the wrecked car could be drawn to the side of the road.

Even when the lines cleared it took Gem 10 to 15 minutes for the traffic to take up normal running again.