A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43211, 6 August 1907, Page 3

A RUNAWAY TRAIN.

GUARD LOWE KILLED.

£5060 DAMAGE DONE.

ROLLING STOCK DESTROYED

(By Telegraph]—’Press Association.) ROTORUA, Sunday. _ A serious accident occurred between eight and nine o’clock on Saturday night to the goods train, bound from Auckland to Rotorua. T The train was a long one, with t(wo engines and a large number of trucks and a passenger carriage. It was ascending the steep grado three miles on the Rotorua side of Putararu, whfen all the trucks, the carriage and the guard’s van became detached from the engine, and went down the hill at a terrific pace till reaching the culvert, when the train went over the embankment into a gully, forty feet below.

J. Lowe, the guard, was killed. He never became conscious, and died in three-quarters of an hour. James Dwyer, acting-guard, had a broken arm and other injuries, and Tyer, assistant-guard, had his arm broken and received other injuries. Kingdon, a platelayer, was injured internally, and has concussion of the brain.

Dwyer resides at Mount Eden, Tyer at Auokland, and Kingdon at Putararu. There were four passengers, but none were injured, although the carriage went over the embankment One of the engines brought the injured men here, arriving at four this morning. Dr. .Egelberger, ©f Matamata, one of the passengers, rendered valuable aid to the injured* MANY CATTLE INJURED. Several of the trucks contained cattle, and many were injured. The accident happened at a place known as Bell’s crossing, where the .. new line has been constructed. No particulars are available as to the cause of the accident. The engines were driven by Taylor and Cooper. The train was due in Rotorua at eight o’clock, but was running late. Alll the trucks, the carriage, and the guard’s van were greatly damaged. ROTORUA, To-day. The Coroner and jury visited the scene of the accident, which happened at the 48-mile peg, between Ngatira and Arihiwi. When ascending the hill the second engine appeared to be dragging, and the train was pulled up. Taylor, driver of the first engine, uncoupled the guard’s van, which was next to the second engine, previously applying the brakes to several trucks as well as the van. The first engine then steamed ahead slightly, drawing tho second behind it with a view to ascertaining if it was dragging. The driver of the second engine then noticed the trucks and vans moving, and blew his whistle to put on th brake. The engines immediately followed after the trucks, but failed to keep pace with them. Forty-five catlle were killed and 3 saved. The whole of the rolling stock wae smashed to pieces. three injured are doing well. t No explanation is given of why the fyakes failed to act. 1 The damage is estimated at about , ( £SOOO. J WESTINGHOUSE BRAKE OFF Information received by the Auck- 1 land railway office is to the effect that v when the train started to move back r the Westinghouse brake, which should 0 have acted und held it, by some mis- f chance or other, came off, and the f train then quickly gathered speed, jj rushing down the hill for about eight r miles. The train consisted of two f ( guards’ vans, a passenger car, and j, about 28 wagons, and all left the rails j and were very much smashed and v shattered by the fall over the side. The track was broken at the scene of c the accident, but a special train left q Auckland at 2 a,m. Sunday for the place. Mr- Waite, Traffic Manager, was and at Frankton the up an inspector and a I large gang tf men. s

(Juard [Lowe was 33 years of age, Md had been 16 years in the railway service* He had been stationed at Rotorua for the last two and a-half years.