RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1922, Page 7

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

NEAR WHENUAKURA BRIDGE. A NARROW ESCAPE. i z An accident which providentially was not attended with, serious cdnsequep&es, occurred on Thursday to the 4.27 p.m. train from Wanganui as the train was approaching the Whenukura Bridge (says the Patea Press). The engine driver, as the train came round the bend on to the bridge, noticed a truck about six trucks from the engine 'being, dragged along on’ its side. He immediately applied the Westinghouse brake* and succeeded in pulling up the train ' when the truck which Ayas being dragged ] along was about 30 yards From the bridge. The engine and the first six I trucks were by this time already on the bridge. An examination showed that the truck, which bore a fairly heavy load, had the rear axle broken and had been dragged along for just on half a mile though little damage' was done to the permanent way. After the train had been pulled up the engine and front trucks were taken across the bridge and the damaged truck With the aid of a jack was lifted clear of the track. Had the truck been dragged another 30 yards on to the bridge at the speed the train usually travels it is more thanpossible a tragedy would have occurred on the bridge, for the truck would have been derailed, and the passenger carriages in that case would in all probability have been telescoped on the bridge and would have fallen into the river 50 feet below the line. The shifting of the damaged truck on to ‘the side of the line took just on three hours to accomplish. Among the passengers by the train were several of the South Taranaki Cricket Team who were returning from the Hawke Cup match with Wanganui. These players all good service. in assisting to remove the damaged truck.