ACCIDENT TO MAIL TRAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1919, Page 6

ACCIDENT TO MAIL TRAIN.

ENGINE BREAKS DOWN NEAR NORMANBt.

The restitution of the mail train service from New Plymouth to Wellington on Thursday morning was attended by an unfortunate occurrence, though It was without serious consequences to anyone on the train. It appears that when the train was about one mile on the Hawera side of the Normanby station the passengers were made aware of something unusual happening, the carriages being subjected to a. series of joltings, as though the wheels were striking some objects across the rails. The train was pulled up slowly, and no harm resulted to anyone. On examination, it was found that the trouble had occurred oh tie engine. The crank pin of the driving [ wheel on the right-hand side of the engine had broken, with the result that the connecting rod had fallen, and with each turn of the wheel had dug itself into the permanent way until the train s was brought to a standstill, and this paused the jolting experienced by the passengers. It also put sutih a strain upon the other side of the engine that the left-hand crank also broke. The damage to the track was not very serious, but a cattle-stop at a crossing over which the engine passed was badly broken about. The accident took place on a piece of flat, straight track, along which the train was going at some speed at the time. Those who weir* on board regard it as. almost miraculous that the engine was not derailed.

A number of private motor ears, which were passing the locality, took several of the passengers into Hawera, and also the fireman of the crippled engine with the block tablet, and in a short while an engine came out and towed the damaged locomotive and the train into Hawera, where another engine took the train on its journey, the delay occupying about an hour.

Those who were on the train speak in. high praise of the cautious and skilful manner in which Driver Thompson manipulated the Westinghouse brake in bringing the train to a standstill, thus avoiding a sudden stop which might have derailed, or perhaps have telescoped some of the carriages. The train was of about the usual length, and carried a large number of passengers.