Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

On Tuesday, 6 July 1999, a loaded petrol wagon on Train 230, a northbound Wellington to Auckland express freight, derailed approximately 4 km south of Paraparaumu when a wheel on the leading bogie moved in on its axle. The brakes on the wagon had failed to release which caused the wheels to overheat. This overheating had been reported by a passing motorist and the train duly stopped just short of Paraparaumu, but not before the wagon had derailed. An incorrect tolerance fit of the wheel on the axle allowed the wheel to move inwards on the axle and derail the wagon.

On Tuesday, 29 June 1999 at approximately 1400 hours, an empty diesel multiple unit which had been parked on the suburban platform road at Papakura ran away towards the down main line at the north end of the station into the path of Train 3149, which was approaching from the north to the suburban platform road. The locomotive engineer of Train 3149 was able to stop his train before any collision occurred. No injuries resulted and there was no damage sustained. The safety deficiency identified was the lack of security when diesel multiple units were left unattended.

At about 1345 hours on Saturday, 26 June 1999, a vintage steam train operated by the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway was on a scheduled passenger trip from Opua to Kawakawa when the track spread and the locomotive and the following two carriages derailed at low speed. No injuries to the crew or passengers resulted. Safety issues identified included the standard of track maintenance and the adequacy of the track inspection. Two safety recommendations were made to the operator, and two to the Director of the Land Transport Safety Authority to address the safety issues.

On Tuesday 22 June 1999, at about 0245 hours, the high leg rail at 93.707 km North Island Main Trunk broke under the passage of Train 225, a southbound express freight. The break caused the tenth wagon of the train to derail one axle which re-railed itself at the Roslyn Road level crossing 530 m further to the south and the locomotive engineer continued on unaware of what had happened. A safety issue identified was the lack of an effective system for detecting and actioning rail defects located between rail ends.

At approximately 0720 hours on Sunday, 13 June 1999, Train 3612, a Wellington to Upper Hutt electric multiple unit service, collided with an empty cable drum which had been moved alongside the track by persons unknown. The cable drum had been in close proximity to the line for at least 2 weeks. There were no injuries. The leading unit suffered minor damage. Safety issues identified were the lack of effective reporting and follow-up procedures for potential obstructions alongside the track. One safety recommendation was made to the operator.

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

On Wednesday 26 May 1999, at approximately 0730 hours, a rake of empty log wagons was being propelled from the Kinleith railway yard into Carter Holt Harvey Limited's siding when the leading wagon hit the "bull-bars" of a logging truck parked foul of the running road. The remote control operator who was on the leading wagon jumped clear just prior to the collision but stumbled and fell against the wagon and was dragged for approximately 10 m before rolling clear. He received broken ribs and abrasions as a result of the accident.

At about 1200 hours on Friday, 21 May 1999, as the passenger and freight ferry "Arahura" was approaching Picton near the end of a scheduled Wellington to Picton service, the master slowed the vessel to about 5 knots to allow the starboard rescue boat to be launched as part of a drill. As the rescue boat was being lowered, the single quick-release hook attaching the boat to the launching davit released prematurely and the boat fell some 15 m to the sea. A preventer chain fitted as security against such an event parted as the boat fell.

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

At approximately 1140 hours on Friday, 21 May 1999, northbound Train 902 operating as the Southerner passenger express overran its track warrant limit by approximately 2 km between Mosgiel and Wingatui on the main south line. The overrun occurred when the locomotive engineer was possibly distracted by other events after planning a track warrant renewal for a location which differed from the normal pattern.

At approximately 1215 hours on Tuesday, 18 May 1999, a collision occurred between the north yard shunt and No. 1 shunt in Middleton yard. No injuries occurred but the locomotives sustained some damage and 3000 litres of diesel leaked from a ruptured fuel tank. The safety deficiencies identified included: • the suitability of the procedures and compliance monitoring in place to ensure the safe operation of remote control locomotives

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]