TRAINS COLLIDE.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20271, 13 August 1937, Page 6

TRAINS COLLIDE.

I SMASH NEAR TAUPIRI. ! TRAFFIC DI SO ROAN 18 ED. SEVERAL WAGGONS TELESCOPED. Although trafflo both north and south for passengers and goods was seriously disorganised for over twelve hours as the result of a train oollision near Tauplrl late last evening and considerable damage was done to waggons and slight damage to the permanent way, not one of the two crews was seriously Injured. The aooldent ooourred at 11.30 last evening and all passengers had to be tranaferred on all trains until after mid-day when the line was cleared. Both were goods trains and only three men were on each. They were proceeding south from Auckland, one leaving Huntly ten minutes before the other. The first train, with Messrs R. Tercll (driver) and D. Youngman (fireman), both of Auckland in the cab, was pulled up about a mile and a-half north Taupiri Station owing to a defect of a bumper on one of the waggons. The train was in the automatic signal area but the following train could not stop in time and I crashed Into the rear of the statlon- | ary guard’s van. The guard, fortunately, was in the centre of the train ] Inspecting the broken bumper, as his van was overturned and two L wag • gonS, containing coal, on the stationary train were slightly telescoped and overturned. The engine and the first three waggons on the second train were the most seriously damaged, the second and third trucks following the engine telescoping over the first and finishing up wheels to wheels on top of it with the goods in the second waggon squashed against the water tank on the engine. The bodywork of the first truck was ripped off and flung to ; one side and the chassis pushed forward into the engine, breaking several of the rear wheels and damaging the tank and undercarriage for some distance. It is here also that the most damage to the permanent way has been caused. Guard’s Nose Broken. The only injury sustained by anyone was to the guard of the second train, who had his nose broken when he was flung forward by the sudden stopping of the train. All the goods that could be shifted were transferred to Taupiri by lorries while passengers in the following j trains were taken from Taupiri to j Huntly and from Huntly to Taupiri by [ buses. The limited express from Wellington was not delayed long at j Frankton but the passengers had to be transferred on arrival at Huntly. It was stated by the railway authorities that the normal schedule would ! be running by the afternoon and that the special trains from Auckland to Wellington for the Test would run to time. CLEARING OF WRECKAGE. ACCUMULATION OF CARRL\GES. NEW DETOUR TRACK FORMED. As soon as the accident was notified to the district railways engineer, Auckland. Die special wrecking train with the new huge crane, capable of lifting over 100 tons, w ? as dispatched from Auckalnd with a small band of workmen as most of the men required were requisitioned from Huntly, where they are engaged in laying the lines for a new yard. Gang* of men engaged in the duplication of the main line from Frankton to Papakura have been working near the location of the accident and they were also transferred to help clear away the wreckage. Before 8 o’clock this morning over 50 men under the guidance of Mr T. Doldge, assistant-district engineer, were engaged in clearing the line but it was after mid-day before any traffic could pass the spot- The derailed guard's van and waggons were bodily lifted clear of the track and the engine of the second train was shifted to Taupiri. This w-as made possible by the lifting of the rear portion that had been damaged by the crane and the engine then pulled the crane to Taupiri under its own power. A new loop line was then laid around the damaged portion of the main track, thus clearing the wreckage that had been thrown aside, though the trains had to proceed slowly past the scene. The scenes at the Taupiri and Huntly stations when the trains arrived and the passengers had to be transferred from station to station by bus were ones of confusion but excellent organisation saw these difficult phases of the Journey accomplished with a minimum of delay. The luggage and goods were also transported by lorries. Scarcity of Carriages. Both at Taupiri and Huntly hundreds of carriages accumulated as the trains dropped their passengers and it will be with some difficulty that sufficient carriages will be found in Auckland to make up the three special trains for Wellington to-night. At Taupiri at 11.30 a.m. were the early morning express, the limited and two other passenger trains and it was decided to run a special through to Auckland this afternoon with the empty carriages for the excursion trains. Goods trains were held up all the way down the line and at Ngaruawahia a lengthy goods train due to leave late last evening was still in the station at mid-day to-day. The train had come from further south and comprised many trucks full of bobby calves for killing at Westfield to-day. Some of the calves were taken back to the Horotiu works for slaughtering but Horotiu was already well booked out with calves and the majority had to wait in the siding throughout all last night and the greater part of today. The railway officials would not comment on the cause of the accident hut stated that the special excursions to Wellington and the expresses to-night would run to schedule.