The original Dunedin cable car line, opened in 1881, went up the hill from the bottom of Rattray St near the Crown Hotel and up through the Town Belt to the engine house at the bottom of Ross St. It was extended to the top of the hill and then down into Kaikorai Valley. The slope down into the Valley was always a steep one - it had originally been much steeper, running down what is now named Falcon St.
OUT OF CONTROL
ROSLYN CABLE TRAM
YOUNG GIRL INJURED
Passengers on the 4.30 p.m. cable tram from Rattray street to Kaikorai yesterday had an alarming experience when the car became partially out of control on the steep grade leading down to the Kaikorai Valley terminus.
As the tram gained momentum on the grade a girl of 13 apparently jumped from the car and received injuries which necessitated her removal to the Hospital. There were six or seven passengers on the tram at the time.
The manager of the City Corporation Transport, Mr W. H. Mackenzie, said last night that, although the car hit the turntable at the end of the line with considerable force, the indications were that it had been brought at least partly under control again. Nothing more could be said, however, until full inquiries had been made. The girl who was admitted to Hospital was June Cameron, whose home is in Manchester street, Roslyn. She is suffering from concussion, cuts on the head, and abrasions. -Otago Daily Times, 2/6/1942.
ROSLYN TRAM MISHAP
CONDITION OF INJURED GIRL
June Cameron, aged 13, who was injured when the Roslyn cable tram got out of control on Monday afternoon and was taken to Hospital, was reported last night to be dangerously ill. There appears to be some doubt whether the girl actually jumped from the tram or whether she fell from the seat when the gripman regained partial control of the car. -Otago Daily Times, 3/6/1942.
CABLE TRAM ACCIDENT
GIRL PASSENGER’S DEATH
June Cameron, the 13-year-old girl who was injured on Monday when a Roslyn cable car on which she was travelling got out of control, died in the Hospital yesterday morning. An inquest was opened in the afternoon, Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., sitting as coroner. After evidence of identification had been taken, the inquest was adjourned sine die. -Otago Daily Times, 4/6/1942.
CABLE CAR ACCIDENT
YOUNG GIRL’S DEATH
SUGGESTION BY CORONER
The adjourned inquest into the death of June Helen Ann Cameron, the 13-year-old girl who died in the Hospital oh June 3 following injuries received when a cable tram got out of control on the steep grade above the Roslyn car terminus on the afternoon of June 1, was concluded yesterday, Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., sitting as coroner. Detective Brown represented the police, Mr J. B. Thomson appeared for tlffe relatives of the deceased, and Mr A. N. Haggitt watched proceedings on behalf of the City Corporation.
Edwin Adolph Schlaadt, who was acting as gripman of the tram, said that about 40 yards from the steps, as the tram was about to round the first big bend, the rope commenced to run free in the gripper. He applied the wheel and slipper brakes, and then the emergency brake, but the tram had gathered so much speed that these had not much effect. At the bottom of the grade, however, the car was partially under control, although it left the track about 40 feet above the turn table at the foot of the hill.
Cross-examined by Mr Thomson, witness could give no reason for the gripper slipping. He did not see the deceased leave the tram.
William Godfrey Hodge said that from the rear of his home in Falcon street he saw the tram travelling down the hill at a high speed. He then noticed a cloud of dust at the rear of the car, and when it cleared away he saw the deceased lying on the footpath about 30 feet from the tram line. He did not see her fall from the car.
Condition of Brakes Gordon Anthony Bryant, a car examiner, said that he had had no complaints from gripmen regarding the runaway tram, which had been overhauled in April last. As was daily practice, the brakes and grip were tested on the morning of the accident, and were found to be in good order. When he examined the car after it came to a standstill he found that the slipper and emergency brakes were full on. The wheel brakes were slightly off, but the jar of the sudden stop could be responsible for that.
Evidence of an independent detailed examination of the brakes and gripper was given by Maurice Fairhurst, a plant examiner in the employ of the Public Works Department, who stated that he had found the efficiency of the brakes to be exceptionally good.
William D. Richards, city transport engineer, explained the system in use in his department in tracing and checking faults in connection with the rolling stock. In his opinion the cause of the car getting out of control was that it was not engaged to the rope, because the pawl of the lever operating the gripper might not have been fully engaged with the teeth of the quadrant. It appeared, witness added, that when the brakes were applied the car was travelling too fast for them to be effective.
Detective Brown said that investigations had disclosed no criminal negligence.
A Doubt Expressed The coroner said he was satisfied that before the accident the brakes were in good order. “I am still, however, left in doubt,” he added, “why the car, after leaving the steps, attained the speed it did before the brakes were applied, and why the grip on the rope was not regained almost immediately. Whether there was too much loss of time between the original slip and the application of the brakes would appear to be a matter for a full and searching inquiry by the Public Works Department and the City Transport Department.”
A verdict was returned that death was due to injuries received when the deceased fell or jumped from a cable car out of control on the Kaikorai Valley line on June 1. -Otago Daily Times, 30/6/1942.
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| Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo. |
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