In the early hours of 6 July 1923, New Zealand’s first major rail accident claimed the lives of 17 people. The southbound Auckland to Wellington rounded a sharp bend but was not able to stop before hurtling into an enormous landslide that had covered the tracks at Ōngarue, north of Taumaranui. Hidden within the landslide was a boulder measuring about 1.25 metres in diameter. The engine was able to push the boulder a short distance before the weight of it threw the engine, the tender and the postal van off the track.

The worst damage occurred in the back of the train, where three wooden carriages were telescoped by the force of the impact. A gas container under the third carriage burst into flames, but was extinguished by a further slip. Survivors in these carriages had to be cut free. 12 people were killed outright in the impact. A further three died of their injuries on the way to the hospital. 28 people were injured. The engine driver and the fireman were both badly were burnt.

The disaster at Ōngarue remains country’s third-deadliest rail tragedy, behind the Tangiwai (1953) and Hyde (1943) accidents, which killed 151 and 21 people respectively. A board of inquiry found that the accident was the result of heavy rain which caused the slip. The fitting of electric lights in railway carriages was made a priority to avoid the risk of fire from the gas containers, and carriages were strengthened to reduce the chance of “telescoping” into one another in future accidents.

These photographs make up page 1 of ‘Exhibit M’ of the Board of Enquiry into the accident.

Archives Reference: ABIN W3337 106 (R19598921)