Kelvin Grove Community Assn. Inc.

The Train Wreck near Hume Pipes in 1929

These photos were taken by Albert Zeinert.

Although that actual date in 1929 of this accident is yet to reveal itself, oral tradition indicates that this goods train was heading into Palmerston North (i.e. the railway then ran down Main Street) from the direction of Wanganui, at about 10-11 pm. This derailment occurred about where Hume Pipes and the Shell Oil Co. are/were.

People living in the vicinity were attracted to the incident by the weird intermittent wailing of the locomotive's whistle, as the engine driver endeavoured to signal into the town that something was wrong. Members of the Burr family recalled that they went outside to see what the commotion was and could see the activity on the tracks a short distance beyond the back of their farm. Only the loco and two or three wagons had remained on the tracks. The main site of the wreck was on the town side of the tracks.

The following morning, sheep from the wreck were still running up and down the tracks. As well as the live sheep, the train had also been carrying casein, sugar and frozen meat. 

Mrs Mercer, from the neighbouring farm (Kaimanawa Street area) contributed soup etc. to the railway workers.

The top left photo shows a meat truck by Hume Pipes. The bottom left photo shows a building owned by either Humes or Shell, which at the time would have been almost new. Possibly its still there. The bottom right photo shows trees that are probably the ones by the former Griffins warehouse.

Last Updated: 12/7/2001