RO-2005-109 Tourist Trains Linx and Snake, derailments, Driving Creek Railway, Coromandel, 20 February 2005 – 3 March 2005

On Sunday 20 February 2005 at about 1300, the Driving Creek Train Linx derailed at Peg 1660. The rear bogie of the last passenger set derailed and was dragged about 15 m before one of the derailment bars hit a rail joint fishplate, causing the rear bogie to jump further to the left-hand side of the track. One passenger received moderate injuries.

In the afternoon of Sunday 27 February 2005, the rear bogie of the last passenger set of the Train Linx derailed to the inside of a tight right-hand curve at Peg 1270 on the Driving Creek Railway. There were no injuries.

In the afternoon of Tuesday 1 March 2005, the leading axle of the Train Snake derailed at a rail joint at Peg 600 on the Driving Creek Railway. There were no injuries.

The safety issues identified were:

- track condition

- design of the steering linkage ratio on the front and rear bogies of the Linx

- lack of a requirement for regular independent track inspections by qualified people.

In view of the safety actions taken by the operator to rectify the deficiencies in the track and the self-steering linkage ratios, no safety recommendations covering these issues have been made. One safety recommendation regarding annual inspections of track, structures and mechanical equipment by independent, qualified persons has been made to the Director of Land Transport.