EXPRESS TRAIN DERAILED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7727, 1 February 1905, Page 2

EXPRESS TRAIN DERAILED.

Five Carriages Leave the; Metals.

MARVELLOUS ESCAPE OF THE PASSENGERS.

The Cause of the Accident,

(Pei Press Association.) OAMAUU, dan. 31. The passengers travelling by the ht'coml express that runs from InvereargiN to Chiislchurch had a most miraculous escape this evening. The express was tinned to reach Oamnru nt 5 p.m., but about, (our .miles from town, near Deborah Day, .five carriages suddenly left the rails, three others and (he guard's van remaining on. The front wheels of the engine remained on the line, but tho weight of the carriages that la't the rails carried the tender and part of the engine off the metals. It was a miracle that no one in the. train was hurt, and this, is attributed to the fact that Uy carriages that left the lino did" sq in a v,igy.ag fashion, there being absolutely no crashing into each other, and although tho train was going at a good rate of speed there was no shock. The carriage wheels t o ok the ground, and this acted as a buffer that, drew them up, although the driver, with emarkoMe promptitude, applied the Wcstinghouse brake, which acted for a moment along the whole train. There were not a great many passengers on the train, but exports say that but for the zigzag, manner in which tho carriages left) the line there must have boon sierilous loss of life. The ends of the carriages were torn about by the couplings, but there was no telcscopVwg. The rafjls and sleepers were bent and broken, and it will take soma time to repair the damage. Traffic is expected to be resumed in the morning, oyer a loop line;. Passengers by following trains are being caried on by the trains which meet at the break. The cause of the accident lis difficuSt to conjecture, but it is supposed, and there is evidence to support this, that the wheels of one of the carriages mounted the rails and threw the five carriages on. the only injury was to a passenger,, who had his hand grazed.