RAILWAY ACCIDENT. A RUNAWAY ENGINE ON THE ONEHUNGA LINE. Narrow Escape from a Terrible Catastrophe.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 72, 18 October 1884, Page 6

RAILWAY ACCIDENT. A RUNAWAY ENGINE ON THE ONEHUNGA LINE. Narrow Escape from a Terrible Catastrophe.

(From the Auckland "Star," Oct. 15.) Considerable excitement was occasioned in town this morning through the news gaining currency that an engine had run away Irom the Auckland railway station and had gone up the line. Fears were entertained that a terrible catastrophe would result, as the Onehunga train had left Newmarket and was nearly due. This painful feeling of apprehension was enhanced by the fact that it was regarded as certain that the two engines would meet in the darkness of the Domain tunnel. Crowds of people were soon on their way towards the Auckland Railway Station, eager to ascertain the facts of the case, as it was known that the down train from Onehunga always carries a large number of passengers—principally business men who reside in the outer suburbs, and school children. A universal feeling of relief, however, prevailed when it was ascertained that although the anticipated collision had occurred, there had been no serious consequences. The circumstances connected with the accident are as follow :—

Cause of the Accident. At 8.52 a.m. this morning a shunting engine was standing in the Auckland Station yard, when another engine propelling trucks ran out of the shed, and. bumped somewhat sharply against the shunting engine. Mr Bennett, the engineer on the latter, had been employed oiling themachinery, and theshockthrewhim down, and in falling against a water tank he lost three fingers. The bump at the same time caused the regulator of the engine to fall, and steam being admitted into tne cylinders, the locomotive started off up the line at half speed. The fireman (Millis) was at this time on top of the engine and was knocked off by its sudden starting, so that he was unable to do anything towards preventing any further mishap. A rumour was current to the effect that Millis had jumped from the engine after it had started, but this is contradicted by the man himself and also by several bystanders.

Efforts to Prevent a Collision. Mr Hudson, the traffic manager, and Mr Hanson, the station-master, were immediately apprised of the occurrence, and under the circumstances acted with admirable coolness and presence of mind. A glance at the clock in the ptation-room showed that the train that had left Onehunga at 8.20 a.m. wasnow within a few minutes of being due ; indeed, the chances were that it had already passed Newmarket. The telegraph wires were immediately set in motion, when that which was most dreaded was found to be the fact. The Onehunga train had left Newmarket about a minute before the warning telegram was received by the Newmarket stationmaster, was then on its way to town, and a terrible calamity seemed imminent.

Steam Versus Horseflesh. The station-master, Mr Hanson, proved himself quite equal to the occasion. He rushed out of the office, and seeing a person on horseback he conceived the idea of chasing the runaway engine. He made a hurried explanation to the rider, and in less time than it takes to write it, Mr Hanson was in the saddle and careerirg along towards the Auckland end of the Domain tunnel. It was decidedly a stern chaso, as before he had got his fleet courser under way the engine had disappeared in the cutting leading to the tunnel. He travelled at a breakneck pace, and when midway between Parnell and the tunnel, the horse got his foot in a hole, threw the rider, and rolled right over. Mr Hanson sustained several bruises about the hands and arms, but yet continued his chase on foot, leaving the horse to its own devices. When he reached the tunnel he found that the Onehunga train had met the runaway train at the northern end of the bricked portion of the tunnel, that there had been a collision, and that the Onehunga engine had been a good deal damaged, and one carriage slightly injured. All the passengers, however, were happily scathless. Dr. Coombe was on the scene, but fortunately his services were not required.

The Onehunga Train had, as we have already stated, left Newmarket about the same time that the runaway engine started on its purposeless journey from the Auckland Station. Attached to the Onehunga train were five carriages and a van. The engine was in charge of Mr Robertson, who has the reputation of being one of the most efficient and trustworthy men on the line. There were about one hundred passengers in the train, a large proportion of them being school children. As our readers are doubtless aware, there is a slight bend in the Domain tunnel, which prevents a clear view being obtained right through, Daylight is, however, only lost for a period of two or three seconds. When Robertson had brought his engine round the curve he caught sight of the runaway engine bowling along towards him. Owing to the construction of the tunnel he then, had a'clear view of nearly a mile ahead. Although at a loss to account for the presence on the line of the approaching engine, he promptly shut off steam and had the brakes put on, and at the same time sounded the whistle.

Excitement Among the Passengers. The shrieking of the whistle, together with the slackening of the speed of the train, had by this time communicated to the passengers the fact that something was wrong ; indeed, some of them looking out of the windows could see the runaway engine approaching. The imminence of a collision under such circumstances created the greatest excitement and apprehension. Many of the ladies burst into tears, and the unfortunate children seemed paralysed with terror. One male passenger sprang out of the train, and falling on the track, cut his nose. The guards, who, it would appear, did not lose their presence of mind, called out to the passengers to lie down and hold on to the seats. This suggestion was generally acted upon, and no doubt prevented serious consequences that otherwise might have ocourred.

The Collision. By this time Robertson had brought his train to a dead-stop just at the commencement of the woodwork of the tunnel. Just then the runaway engine, whose speed had been considerably reduced by the arduous pull up the steep grade, collided with Robert son engine. The shock was not a severe one. None of the rolling-stock left the line, although the cow-catcher of the passenger train was carried away and both engines slightly injured. The passengers were agreeably surprised on finding that the shock had not, been a violent one, and that casualties were nil. A number of them scrambled out of the train and inspected the damage, Shortly afterwards

a relief train with officials and appliances arrived on the scene, and the line was cleared without difficulty. In consequence of the accident, the Waikato train was detained for three quarters of an hour, but otherwise the time-table was adhered to.

A Passenger's Statement. Mr William Henry Learning states :—: — "I was a passenger from Onehunga. As soon as we got into the dark of the tunnel we heard our engine begin to whistle, and looking out of the windows saw another engine coming up from the Parnell end. VVeheard ourguard sing out to ' Hold on and lie down . ' There were about eight carriages on the train, all pretty well filled, including a large number of school children. Two carriages on this train are always reserved for scholars, and they are nearly always full. I occupied a carriage in abo ut the middle of the train containingabout eight passengers, four of them ladies, and when the fact became known the greatest excitement prevailed. The ladies called out, and the men endeavoured to reassure them as best they could. Most of the passengers held on to the windows, which were all dovrn, and at the same time we endeavoured to assist the ladies. We felt our train slowed down immediately we got round the bend from the Newmarket end of the tunnel, and before the shock came the train was going much slower than the usual speed. About two minutes, I think, elapsed from the time the loose engine was discovered until the two met. We had meanwhile arranged ourselves as best we could. Most of the ladies had gone down to one end of the carriage, and we had followed them and quietened them. One lady in the next train was crying very much. The shock of the collision was heavy. I was thrown from the window where I was holding on to the door dividing the first-class from the secondclass carriage. We vt ere thrown every way, but nobody was hurt. It was just glimmering light. Two of our passengers jumped off and went on to see what was the matter, but most of us kept our seats. A party of gangers and engineers came up from Auckland to make any necessary repairs, and the loose engine having' been taken back to town, we followed it on. One of the passengers from another carriage had jumped off in the tunnel before the collision occurred, and his nose and face were a good deal cut. If the engine had been started two minutes sooner she could not have been seen in time to slacken off, owing to the bend at Kowmarket, and the collision would have taken place at full speed ; or if it had been later, on the Parnell incline, our train could not have been slowed down. None of the carriages left the line, and all the passengers were unhurt except the one who jumped off."

Engine-Driver Bennett. Immediately after the accident, Bennett, the engine-driver of the shunting engine, was conveyed to the District Hospital, where Dr. Bond found that it was necessary that he should undergo an operation. Chloroform was administered, and three fingers of the left hand were amputated, the top joint of the first finger being also removed. This afternoon at two o'clock Bennett was interviewed at the Hospital by a Stab reporter. He appeared to be as well as could be expected under the eircurastances, and not by any means in bad spirits. In reply to a question he said he is a married man and has a family. Regarding the accident he made the following statement :— Shortly before nine o'clock we were taking in coal and water. I had just finished oiling the engine, and wae standing on the ground beside her. I think at this time my fireman, Dick Mellis, was on the engine. He is a trustworthy, intelligent lad, and knows sufficient about the'engine to stop her. "While I was standing as I have described, the engine received a bump, and I fell down . I don't know whether I was knocked | down by the engine or not, or how I came to lose my fingers. I think it probable that they were jammed in some some way by the truck. When I got up I saw the engine moving off, but as I thought the fireman was on board I made no attempt to catch her. I think I could have managed to do so ; at any rate I would have made a try for it. I don't believe that the man standing at the singal points could haye got on board, bocause she was then going at too great a speed. He might have get on to the cow-catchor, but it would have been risky. We had about 1351b5. of steam on while we were standing. I cannot understand how the jerk moved the regulator, as it is pretty stiff- — not so stiff as I soma, but one needs to use some force to move it.

The Traffic Manager ia of opinion that even had Robertson not noticed the approach of the runaway, the consequences of the collision would not have been very serious, and he bases this assumption on the ground that the speed of the runaway engine had been greatly reduced going up the grade, while the passenger tram was sliding down the grade with scarcely any steam on.