MACEDON RAILWAY MISHAP

EVIDENCE OF ENGINE CREWS

CRITICISM OF EQUIPMENT

Much evidence of a technical character was given at the Morgue yesterday when the coroner (Dr R. H. Cole) opened an inquiry into the railway accident which occurred near Macedon early on the morning of February 4, and which resulted in the death of a guard, Edward Thomas Evans, aged 53 years.  A number of heavily loaded trucks broke away from a "double header" goods train on a steep grade beyond Macedon on the main Bendigo line, and bolting at high speed down the slope, crashed into a second goods train. The guard was killed when leaping from the guard's van of the runaway shortly before the impact occurred.

Inspector J. McCormack appeared to conduct the inquiry; Mr Scott Murphy (instructed by the Crown solicitor) for the Railway Commissioners; Mr A. W. Foster (instructed by Messrs. Loughrey and Douglas) for the Victorian branch of the Australian Railways Union; Mr E. J. Corr for the drivers and firemen of all engines concerned; and Mr W. H. Jones for the relatives of Edward Thomas Evans, the deceased guard.

Thomas Patrick Garland, of Evans street, Port Melbourne, said that he was driving the 8.15 p m goods train from North Melbourne to Bendigo on February 3. He last saw Evans when he came to report the number of vehicles and the tonnage. Witness was in charge of the leading engine. Thomas Monaghan was in charge of the second engine. At Sydenham witness noticed that his engine was not working well. He attributed that to a defective smoke-box and bad coal. Going up the bank, about 2½ miles beyond Macedon, the engine began to lose steam, and witness was working on the water. The train stopped under steam about half a mile from the top of the bank.

Driver Finds Half the Train Gone

"After she first ‘stalled,’" Garland went on, " we stopped about 10 minutes, and Monaghan and I arranged to try to 'lift' the train. He wanted me to divide it and run half on to Woodend, but I wanted to 'lift' it. As soon as I had obtained 160 lb pressure, I gave two 'pops' of the whistle to him as a signal to try to 'lift,' but we failed. I decided to get the 185 lb, and when we got this I signalled to him again. We moved about 3ft, and I noticed the air go. I concluded that the train pipe or hose pipe had broken or burst. I then went with a hand lamp and a shifting spanner to the rear of the train, where I noticed half the train gone. I called to the guard, but there was no response "

In reply to questions, witness said that he had had no trouble with couplings on the main line. He had never had a drawbar break but had had couplings knocked off. If drivers considered that couplings or drawbars were not safe, they could refuse to take the train out. He knew of no instances where men had been fined for breaking couplings. It would have taken him a quarter of an hour to get to the back of the train. When he reached there, he heard a rumble and saw the van lights disappearing down the bank. There were 45 trucks on the train. He did not consider it a safe way to load to put empty trucks in the centre. Although steam had escaped owing to the defects he had mentioned, the engine was quite up to its work. He had never driven a "double header ' on that line before. It was possible that they might have been endeavouring to shift the train with the guard's brakes on. In his opinion, the breakaway occurred immediately after the engines moved for-ward three feet, at the second attempt.

To Mr Foster - Witness was informed by the train examiner that the load of the train was 624 tons. The load limit for the track to Bendigo was 622 tons, even for a 'double header ' train. The makeup of the train was not in accordance with the regulations. When the train broke in half the tail end should have remained stationary. Witness had objected to this engine on account of its having a bad name. On the night of February 3, he had remarked to the shed foreman that it was steaming very badly, but he did not object to it.

Train's Many Faults

Mr Jones - You had a bad engine, bad coal, and a badly constructed and over loaded train?

Witness -Yes

Walter James Lawlor, fireman of the leading engine, gave evidence corroborative of that of the previous witness. To Mr Murphy he said that the only way in which the engine was working badly was that it was difficult to keep up steam. He saw the guard's van stationary after the second attempt to "lift" the train.

Thomas Martin Monaghan, driver of the second engine, gave similar evidence " We had only an engine and a half to pull the load " he said, "the other engine was steaming so badly, there was about 80lb deficiency of steam pressure I knew we would not get to the top of that bank "

Witness produced a broken drawbar pin brought from the scene of the accident. It had a bad flaw he said, and the iron was crystallised. It was worn a little.  One of the lugs on the drawbar was broken off and another was badly fractured. He did not have time thoroughly to inspect all the trucks. He made a third attempt to lift the train.

When Did "Bolt" Begin

Cyril Stanley Straughair, fireman of the second engine, said that he had seen the van stationary about five minutes after the second attempt to "lift" the train. The white light of the van was not flickering, as if in motion, when he looked.

Mr. Jones asked that the Railway department should produce a record of similar train breakages for a period of 12 months. He contended that they were of daily occurrence. The department had had notice not once but hundreds of times, and it was departmental neglect that was responsible for these breakages.

Mr. Murphy objected. If the request were granted, it would be only fair to give the department the right to explain the circumstances of every case, and the inquest would never be finished.

Dr. Cole ruled that the application was premature.

The inquest was adjourned until 9 o'clock this morning. There are 15 witnesses.