TRAIN SMASH.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1920, Page 4

TRAIN SMASH.

GUARD'S VAN CAPSIZES. . ACCIDENT AT NEW PLYMOUTH. A train accident, in which no one was injured, occurred in the New Plymouth railway yards yesterdajr afternoon. . As the 4.20 p.m. train for Hawera Was leaving the station, the guard's van ju»pcd the rails just past the second aet of points. The guard was in the front of the train collecting tickets at the tinte,. and the engine-driver was unaware of the derailment until one of the shunting engines in the yard attracted his attention by giving the danger whistle. The van continued to follow the train after it left the rails for about foar chains, when, in consequence of the wheels striking the uncovered sleepers, it swayed and toppled over on the left line. Even then it was dragged along the ground for another two chains until'the train stopped just as the front of the van had reached the edge of the bridge over the Huatoki creek. An extraordinary feature of a rematkable accident is that the cause is almost inexplicable. The whole of the rest ol the train passed over the place where th« derailment occurred without any mishap, and the points were set correctly. An examination of the scene indicates tUat the wheels of the guard's van pallid through the points safely, and. tfeea jumped the rails clear of the points, Ine only explanation appears to be that cither the bogey wheels of the van Wire not in good order, or that the na»j rains of the past few days hare caused a subsidence at that portion of the line, causing it to spring as the train passedover. The van did not have a great deal of luggage in it at the time. "

The passengers in the carriage next to the van noticed its derailment, but "W«# apparently unable to do anything to atiflf the progress of the train. The coupVfef , remained intact even after the van ha^ ; toppled over, but tho passengers in th* next carriage suffered nothing worse than a fright.

The van was not seriously damagedAs it fell the side underneath was splintered a fair amount, and the wheels and axles were twisted, but it is believed that the damage can be repaired in about a week's time. Some of the signal lint*. in the yard were slightly damaged, but not seriously. The baggage and mails from the dam-' aged van wore transferred to one of the carriages, and minus the van and tlnv last carriage the train proceeded out of' the station about five o'clock. A guard"* van was afterwards picked up at Le/perton Junction from the Waitara train, ■ ; The work of clearing the line W»f. commenced immediately after the aoei", dent, in order to allow the mail train to get into the station. By means of a winch and wire ropes, the damaged van was pulled clear of the line on the town side, this work being completed about half-past six o'clock, and the mail tiira came in without Incident.