MACEDON RAILWAY MISHAP
EXPERT'S THEORY
A DEFICIENT DRAWPIN
Further evidence was taken at the Morgue yesterday by the coroner (Dr R. H. Cole, P.M.) regarding the railway accident near Macedon early on the morning of February 4, when a goods train guard, Edward Thomas Evans, lost his life.
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 Victorian 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.
George Kellam, driver of the train with which the runaway trucks collided, said that his train was due to start from Newport, bound for Woodend, at 7.30 p.m. on February 3, but it actually left at 7.53 p.m., and there were many long delays on the journey. They left Gisborne at 1.40 a.m.
"Roar Like a Gust of Wind."
Approaching the 42-mile post, witness noticed a red light which he thought was the distant signal protecting Macedon. He went to adjust the brake pressure when his attention was attracted by a roar like a gust of wind, and looking up he saw the red light quite close, and then the impact took place. Witness estimated that his train was travelling at about eight miles an hour. Several iron doors were knocked off, also parts of the underneath gear, and the train was parted not far from the engine. He had no idea of the speed of the runaway trucks.
To Mr. Foster.-It had never been his experience to be sent home and lose a day's pay for refusing to take out the engine allotted to him, and it had never been done so far as he knew.
To Mr. Jones.-As to its being a frequent occurrence to take out a defective engine, that depended on the definition of "defective." He had taken out an engine that was not perfect. He did not know whether it was formerly the practice for a responsible officer to instruct an engine-driver in the use of the air brake.
To. Inspector McCormack.-If we had been running on schedule time we should have been in front of the other goods train.
Philip Chandler, fireman for Kellam, gave similar evidence regarding the collision.
James T, Holbery, guard of the 7.30 p.m. train, also detailed the running of the train up to the time of the accident.
To Mr Foster.-It was true that the rule as to whistle signals had not been strictly observed. In the event of an engine "stalling" on a bank, a guard would stay in his van for a few minutes to find out whether the driver would divide the train. That was the way of interpreting the order to go back immediately to protect the rear of the train. There were objections to a "double-header" train, because it gave the guard a rougher knocking about. There were heavier jerks and a greater strain on the couplings. He had heard of a protest being made to the commissioners against the use of "double-header" trains. In the interests of safety, it would be desirable to have all screw couplings, but they would take longer to operate. The load limit of some trucks had been recently increased from 15 to 16 tons, but that of Q.R. trucks was still 26 tons. He could not say whether the hand brake of Evans's van had been applied. If he had wished to put the brakes on the trucks he would have climbed along the trucks. From the position, in which witness found the body deceased might have been trying to do that.
To Inspector McCormack.-It would be possible for the guard to have thought that the driver intended to run back for the purpose of making a dash at the bank. He would not have a conversation with the driver before doing that. Sometimes that was done.
Coroner Criticises Commlssioners.
At this stage, reference was made by the coroner to a circular issued by the commissioners after the accident, as follows:-
IMPORTANT SPECIAL NOTICE.
In connection with the running of the 8.15 p.m. Northern "down" goods train on February 3, 1922 (portion of which train collided with the 7.30 p.m. "down" between Gisborne and Macedon), it has been stated that after certain stoppages of the train on the journey between Spencer street and Gisborne the train was restarted without the guard giving any signal, and without any exchange of signals between the guard and the fireman of the train, in disregard of the requirements of regulations 194 (h) and 194 (j).
The commissioners call the attention of all concerned to see that the regulations are fully observed, and to emphasise the fact that any disregard of regulations by those responsible will be dealt with drastically.
Dr Cole.-That seems to me to prejudice the driver-an unauthorised statement while the case is sub judice,
Mr Murphy.-The public safety had to be protected in the meantime. The witness made this statement at the departmental inquiry.
Dr Cole.-Nevertheless, I think it is a highly improper proceeding on the part of the commissioners, when the driver's liberty might be imperilled. After he had made that statement in the witness-box was the time to give the instruction.
Lawrence Kenneally, train examiner in the Melbourne yards, who examined one side of the 8.15 p.m. goods train for Bendigo, gave evidence concerning the nature of his examination. It was to the effect that the inspection was to discover surface defects.
Overhauling of Equipment
To Mr Foster.-There was a regulation that drawbars should be periodically annealed. He thought that the period was two years. The date on the drawbar produced, January 1920, would have been visible when he was examining the train, so that it was a month over its date for annealing. Time would not permit of the dates being examined. They were not restricted in the time for examination.
Mr. Murphy.-We will prove that the period for annealing is five years.
William James Thornton, chief foreman at the North Melbourne car shops, gave a technical account of the damage to trucks caused by the accident. His theory was that when the train was started on the bank it must have received a tug, with the result that the bottom portion of the drawpin broke. This threw a sudden strain on to the drawbar, which was not able to carry the weight of the rear of the train, consequently, it was pulled out, and the top and bottom lugs were damaged. The broken pin was an eighth of an inch under the standard diameter. In the case of a drawbar the period for overhaul was every five years. He would say that the brake in the van had been applied, but could not say whether the hand brakes of the trucks had been. The Q.R. truck No. 303 (at which the coupling broke) had been in the repair shop on February 2. It would be hard to detect the deficiency in the size of the pin.
To Mr. Jones.-He did not think that the average of 25 breakaways a month which came under his notice was a bad record, as there were 23,000 vehicles concerned. He did not say it was a good record. If the couplings were properly strengthened breakaways would be eliminated.
The inquiry will be continued this morning.
