THE QUEENSLAND RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 216, 17 February 1875, Page 4

THE QUEENSLAND RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

(From the Brisbane Courier, 21th January.) An accident which probably cannot be duplicated in the annals of railway disaster, so far as the cause is concerned, occurred on Monday evening to the train rnnning from Toowoomba to Warwick, on the S. and W. Railway. As the train, which consisted of a saloon car, two composite carriages, a breakvan, two horse boxes, two sheep vans, and an open waggon, was speeding along about three miles past the Cambooya station, it was struck by a blast of wind of hurricane force. A storm of wind, raiu, and hail was raging, and such was its strength that heavy forest trees in its track were uprooted, and on striking the train it literally lifted the carriages bodily off the line. Fortunately at this spot the track was level. Had the gust assailed the train but a few minutes later, the carriages would have been traversing an embankment about 12ft high, broken in one place by a culvert, and the whole train must inevitably have been precipitated to the bottom, in which case there is no doubt many of the passengers would have lost their lives. As it was, matters were serious enough. The saloon carriage in which Sir Redmond Barry was travelling, which was next the engine, and the composite carriage, which followed it, turned over on their side, and the latter, preserving its impetus, telescoped into the end of the saloon, smashing the woodwork, and projecting a number of formidable splinters where a moment before the distinguished traveller had been seated. Sir Redmond had but a moment before the accident risen to close the windows against the increasing storm, and by a happy chance reseated himself at the opposite end of the carriage. The carriage next in order settled at an angle of about 65deg, while the remaining waggons, precipitated from the track, came to a stop in all sorts of positions. In overturning, it luckily happened that the strain of the carriages upset proved too much for the couplings connecting them with the rest of the train, which broke, and thus saved the engine aud other cars from a similar overset ; as it was, the engine was dragged across the rails. Had it overturned, the steam and fire might have added to the danger, and the driver and stoker would probably have lost their lives. Their escape is the more to be rejoiced at as the engine-driver showed himself (we are informed by. a gentleman who was a passenger by the train, and from whom we derive much of our information) a man of remarkable courage. He preserved the most perfect coolness and self-possession, and with a promptitude and collectedness which cannot be too highly praised, proceeded, without a moment's hesitation, to shut off the steam and rake out his fires. The passengers, who numbered about thirty, exhibited also great presence of mind and self-restraint. Although there were among them several ladies, including two Sisters of Mercy, not the slightest vociferation or screaming was heard. We are happy to say that all escaped singularly free from serious injury. A porter had his ancle sprained,but the passengers got off with a few bruises, the principal sufferers being Mr J, T. Wilson, a farmer at the Warwick Agricultural Reserve, and Mr J. L. Ross, Mayor of Warwick. Still their plight was a very unenviable one. The carriages were all damagad, and the rain was descending in torrents, and a retreat had to be made in trollies as far as Cambooya, where the stationmaster exerted himself to render every assistance. We are happy to be able to record that our distinguished visitor, Sir Redmond Barry, escpped all serious injury, and arrived yesterday in Brisbane. Some additional illustrations of the force of the gale have been furnished us by the Commissioner of Railways. The roof of the Cambooya station was partly blown off, and twenty-four bales of wool consequently damaged by the rain, and an arm of one of the railway semaphores was carried away.