The Railway Smash

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 9, 29 May 1914, Page 5

The Railway Smash

i : i THE TABLET-PORTER EXONERATED .;| SIGNALS WORKING BADLY. 'A By Telegraph—Press Association, ,-f 3 Auckland, Thursday. < -| Immediately after the railway aeri-*- M ilnnt at Whangamarino, a number Of , ■' i , l ; railway officials and passengers proeeedf 'i ed to the building in which the signal \ level's are housed. They found the <f lever in the position to display tile red H light for danger at the home signal 200 ,j £ yards distant, The fog was'sufficiently * 'jt dense to make it impossible for the por- 4 ter who operated the lever to nee what i light wag showing, from the station plat- ■*• form. After having noted that the j lever stood correctly jet for danger and " was still locked with the patent lock, 4 tlie party proceeded to the signal and ■ found the green light displayed instead * ' of the red. The night was very cold, and it is- presumed that the wires contracted and caused the wrong signal*to '' be hoisted, as was the ease in the Temora (New South Wales) railway smash two montlig ago. The coroner's inquest on the bodies of the three victims of the railway ditae- \ ter opened this morning. Evidence of identification was taken, nnd the inquest adjourned till Friday o/ next week. CLEARING THE USE. THE ENGINE PRACTICALLY UNv DAMAGED. Auckland, Last Night. The collection and disposal of the wreckage was continued yesterday. The main line had been cleared on Wednesday afternoon, but the siding will* not be available for use before this afternoon. A full estimate of the damage to the rolling stock was mado to-riav. The locomotive of the express train remains on its side jn the swam]) land on the eastern side of the embankment, just ag it fell, Examination showed that only a few steampipes have been broken, and when these and some other minor damages have been repaired the engine will be available for use again. Eight waggons of the goods train were destroyed by the collision. They were two cattle and four sheep waggons, one covered goods van and one open goods truck. All of these will have to ' be rebuilt, as only" various parts are of any practical value. Repairs will he required in the case of several other waggons. The sleeping ear and postal * van will also require reconstructing, as ' both the under frame and bodies were greatly damaged by telescoping. Both . vehicles have been repaired so that Ihey can be hauled to the repair shops. Twenty-four men were employed at Whangamarino to-day (the Huntly correspondent of the Her;,ld telegraphs) in 'clearing away the wreckage. All that is useful in the way of wlieels, iron and other material is being loaded into trucks to be removed to the Jfewmarket railway workshops, while the woodwork that was shattered beyond usefulness is being burned. Direction of the work was undertaken by the Chief Mechanical Engineer (M. 11. H. JaeU'op), who arrived in Auckland from Wellington by the first express train, and returned to Whangamarino by the noon train. The diflicult operation of restoring the overturned locomotive to the line will be undertaken on Sunday, ag the railway will then be clear of traffic. The powerful plant required to lift it will be assembled in position to-day and tomorrow. INJURED VICTIMS MAKING GOOD • PROGRESS. Auckland, Last Night. Satisfactory progress was reported tonight in regard to all the passengers who were injured in the rVlway disaster at Whangamarino. The nervous shock caused by their terrible experience in the'wrecked sleep-ing-car was modified for some hours by their excitement, but the four passengers who suffered most had all developed symptoms of severe shock to-day. Those who escaped physical injury were also virtually prostrated. The condition of Air. Goldingham was slightly improved. He was able to sleep for about three hours during the night, but he is Buffering' from severe nervous shock, am! w'll bo confined to his bed for some time. His physical injuries include a deep wound below Che left eye and extensive bruising on the shoulders. Satisfactory progress is being made ■ by Mr. John Swiuson, of Wellington, who is a iraticnt in the Waikato ho». pital. His right thigh is fractured. Swinson hati a fairly good night. Mr, H. A. Fox, of Wellington, is a patient in the Mt. Pleasant Hospital. He is suffering from shook and bruising, and had one toe dislocated. To- •-, night lie was reported to be progressing favorably. The physical injuries received by Mr. H. G. Maekay, of Melbourne, were not serious. The porter who was in charge at [Whangamarino, William Donaldson, was in the city to-day, carrying his fractured arm in a sling. lie is suffering also a very general bruising, as he was thrown off the points lever as though from a catapult.