Dunedin Railway Station & The  JA 1274

Wondering what type of train it was that sat on display before me, I quickly found myself reading train information that I discovered was really rather boring. Unless of course, you like discussing JA Class, 100-tonne, 42 gauge, steam locomotives that have a wheel diameter of 1.372 m and boiler pressure of 200 psi that were built between 1946 and 1956! In which case, you’ll have been fascinated. However, I wasn’t! So, I’ll simply say that the old steam locomotive looked rather fetching, lit-up in its glass case, and move on to a topic with a little more spice. Like the Hyde Railway Disaster in June, 1943. 

Now, I don’t know the type of locomotive that was involved (and please don’t email me either), but the tragedy occurred just after 1:45pm when the Cromwell to Dunedin express entered a bend, just before the town of Hyde. Travelling in excess of 112 km per hour, more than twice the speed limit, all seven carriages left the rails resulting in twenty-one people being killed and another 47 injured. Following an inquiry, engine driver John Corcoran was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison amid allegations of being drunk, the track was poorly maintained and Corcoran himself was under pressure and speeding to meet a demanding and unrealistic timetable.