Looking towards Rotomanu, showing the engine from the derailed Otira-bound train.1947.

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DescriptionLooking towards Rotomanu, showing the engine from the derailed Otira-bound train with track repair work underway. Note the lady standing on the locomotive tender with her camera.

This derailment occurred on Saturday 6 September 1947 at a swampy site east of the bridge over the Poerua River (North), about 1.4km before reaching Rotomanu station. The derailed train was the usual Greymouth-Otira “slow” mixed train. In this case it consisted of 17 coal-laden wagons, a carriage and guard's van and left Greymouth at 7.40 a.m. At 10 o’clock the front wheels of the fourth wagon left the track, continuing for about 270 metres and slightly damaging the track and sleepers before leaving the rails, to be followed by 11 others. In the process, almost 100 tons (90 tonnes) of coal was strewn along the line. None of the four passengers were injured.

The wagons came to rest at all angles and completely blocked the permanent way. Initially it was hoped that the line would be cleared by 6 p.m., but a cog on the big Westland-based breakdown crane broke, and it was not until 10.30 p.m. that the line was negotiable, and then only at slow speeds.

There was considerable disruption to travellers. The Christchurch-Greymouth express, with 456 passengers – many of them school children and teachers returning from the school holidays – didn’t reach Greymouth until 2.15 a.m. The Greymouth-Christchurch express passengers fared even worse. Totalling 396, they left Greymouth at 4.45 p.m., almost seven hours behind schedule. The express was kept at Stillwater for a long time, eventually reaching Christchurch at 5.30 on Sunday morning. The Greymouth- Christchurch railcar due in Christchurch about 10.30 p.m., was more than six hours late.

Greymouth taxis and buses had a busy time throughout Saturday afternoon and night in coping with the unusual demand on their services.

Based on information sourced from The Press 8 September 1947 p.6

The photo is from the collection of the late Rae Win

Date of Photo6 September 1947Map^[1]ContributorStephen Wright

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Location (city or town)RotomanuInchbonnieOrganisation (eg business)N Z RailwaysEventLooking towards Rotomanu, showing the engine from the derailed Otira-bound train.1947.

Category Information

Category TagRailways

From Facebook

Date Created31st August 2021Comments
Murry McKendry
Bet all the locals watched with sugar bags to help clean the line

Geoff Wood
I've worked on the farm next to the track there last year and it's still a real mud hole

Jim Webber
Geoff Wood It used to be referred to as Beckers swamp, there were some good duck ponds in the area.

⁠Pete Lusk
A lot of labour used in those days

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Looking towards Rotomanu, showing the engine from the derailed Otira-bound train.1947.

Editing is temporarily disabled