Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Friday 10 March 1922, page 8
MACEDON RAILWAY MISHAP
CONDITION OF ENGINE
FAULTY BUT WORKABLE
The inquiry by the coroner (Dr. R. H. Cole, P.M. ) into the death of Edward Thomas Evans, the railway guard who was killed as the result of a number of trucks of a goods train bolting down a steep gradient at Macedon on the morning of February 4, was continued yesterday. Inspector. J McCormack appeared to conduct the inquiry, Mr Scott Murphy (instructed by the Crown solicitor) for the Railways Commissioners, Mr A. W. Foster (instructed by Messrs Loughrey and Douglas) for the Víctorian branch of the Australian Railways Union, Mr E. J. Corr for the Australian Locomotive-men's Union on behalf of the drivers and firemen of all engines concerned, and Mr W H. Jones for the relatives of Edward Thomas Evans, the deceased guard.
Patrick Kane, track foreman, deposed to having found disturbances of ballast, and traces of crushed leather, and bloodstains on the 6ft way, at the scene of the mishap.
To Mr Murphy -Judging from the boot heel marks, Evans had probably put his foot down seeking a favourable opportunity to leave the train.
To Mr Foster-It was 264 yards from the first blood marks to the point of collision. From the marks he thought that Evans had jumped from the train.
To Mr Jones-Evans could have been trying to climb over and put on the brakes.
Station-master's Graphic Story
Edwin Pennington station master at Macedon told a graphic story of the tragedy. "While at my clerical duties on the station he said, "I heard simultaneously the roll of the trucks and cries of 'Hi, hi, hi!' I knew it could not be the 'down' train, so I rushed out on to the platform and heard a rushing sound as the train ran past. I saw nothing whatever, no sidelight on the van, and I could not tell what line it was on. I immediately rang up Woodend and asked if anything had broken away from that station. The reply was 'No' but the “down" train has not arrived yet. I said, 'My God! it is the “down," then. I immediately sent the danger signals along the line. I called up Gisborne and said that there was likely to be a terrible smash, as a train had rushed through Macedon at about 70 miles an hour. Then I said, "My God! there it is now,' as I heard a sound, like the boom of a cannon. It was about 1¼ miles away. I went across to where my 'relief,' Eli Jacobs, was boarding, and informed him and then went down the line with him. After going about a mile we saw a red light coming towards us and found that it was carried by Chandler, the fireman who told us that there had been a big smash and that the guard was lying dead on the 6ft way. After seeing the extent of the wreckage, I went back to the office and ordered two steam cranes "
To Mr Foster - I believe that Evans was endeavouring to put the brakes on the trucks or to get as far as possible from the point of contact and that he was caught by one of the wheels and thrown down.
Alexander Ross Dean, leading hand fitter in the Bendigo depot, gave evidence of his inspection of the leading engine of the train from which the trucks broke away.
Mr Foster -Did this engine have a bad reputation?
Witness-I suppose it had but not more than the average (Laughter)
Was it in a safe condition to take the maximum loads over the grade to Bendigo? Would not the driver have to stop and "blow it up” and make a rush at the grade with a full head of steam? - Yes
To Mr. Corr-The engine would be just as powerful, but it would require extra labour and coal and time.
Edgar Horace Hinds, acting chief foreman mechanic at the North Melbourne railway depot admitted, in reply to Mr. Corr that from January 26 to February 3 it had been reported three times that the blast-pipe joints of the leading engine of the runaway train were blowing but they were not attended to. This would affect the steaming power of the engine but he did not think it would be necessary to take it out of running.
After other witnesses had been examined, the inquiry was adjourned until this morning.
