Image size: 6144x7680 Scale: 65% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnailicon minus sign

Article text

Fix this text
View7text corrections for this article
View all articles on this page Previous article Next article
Sat 31 Mar 1906 - Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962)
Page 3 - The Washaway
The Wash away
AT GLBNBBOOK.
This, perhaps, was tbe biggest
thing coming out of the storm on
Saturday, and one that will long be
remembered in the anuals of railway
working. The storm there was more
severe than any other place we
have heard of. At about half past 5
Mr J Salvana, artist, who was en
gaged finishing an oilpainting from
Lucasville, just opposito Mr Colin
Smith's house, tells the history of the
storm as.no one else can. Just
before the troubles came on Mr
Salvana removed big paraphernalia
into tbe house at the request of Mr
Skarratt, tbe gentleman in charge of
the plaoe and they intented settling
down until the storm had passed ;
but just thon there was a fearful
disturbance of rushing wind, loud
thunder claps. and vivid flashes of
lightning. In fact, the noise was to
those who heard it, as if they were in
the vicinity of & terrifia military en-
gagement. Then the rain came
swooping down in torrents, and the
noise was even greater. The parties
could stand it no longer and went on.
Then they saw trees being snapped
off like carrots, limbs cut down, leaves
shredded, and pieces of bark cut from
the trees by the terrific fall of hail.
Both stood out in the open then
never minding the rain, to watch
further developments. All at once,
so Mr Salvana says, Mr Skarratt
appeared lo have suddenly gone mad.
He jumped tbe fence in front of him
and went down the mountain side
over huge rooks and boulders, at a
break-neck speed. Mr Silvana fol
lowed, wondering what was going to
happen. As Mr Skarratt got down
on to the line he noticed a train
approaching from Penrith and Mr
Skarralt signalling the driver (Mr P
Murray) to stop. Just ahead, and
about 100 yards this side of the
tunnel, there was a sight that fairly
paralysed our artist. About 10 chains
of the main line had been washed to
a depth of two or three feet. The
line had been lifted and arched in one
plaoe so that a man could stand up
underneath it. Wiliis' Siding had
been partly washed away, some of tbe
lengths of rails wiih sleepers attached
being carried clean over the main line
and down the bank. Huge rocks
were lying there, there, and every,
where. In fact, it is said- that
thousands of tons of debris covered
the main line,
Mr Skarratt, having prevented a
terrible catastrophe, then made all
haste to give the information to the
Glenbrook stationmaster. This having
been done, news was sent to Penrith,
and a little later on the fireman of the
train (Jack-.-Sinclair) having also
walked on, instructions were given
for.the train no be propelled back to
Emu Plains, While this was being
done preparations were being made
for the sending on of a special train,
with all available men, to the scene
of the trouble. About 50 men, with
several loads of ashes and tbe usual
break-down vans, in charge of Mr W
Pearce (traffic inspector), and Mr J
Dews (permanent way} were sent off
Information was sent to Mr
Inspector Gulnane, who came at
once to the Penrith Station to
superintend operationa at this end.
The " Fish" train arrived in due
time, and there was a busy time at
Penrith Station. At first no informa
tion could bo obtained ; but soon after
the arrival of the brake-down train on
the scene and the Knapsaok telephone
had been got into operation informa
tion was sent by Inspector Dews that
damage could not be repaired
uder 10 hours at leas. Tbe news
spread like wild fire. Parties were
made up. and proceeded by coach to
different 'parts of tbe Mountains,
passengers had also tbe option of
reurning to Sydney by special and
ordinary trains, and having their
tickets endorsed for the following
week or of remaining and being pro
vided for by the Commissioners,
Nearly.half the passengers returned
to Sydney, whilst others found ac
comodation at the hotels or in the
railway carriages. There was no
grumbling. Meanwhile Messrs Cul
nane Lovett, Brown, Sainsbury and
Barr' beside all the telegraph opera •
tors.-were.as busy as nailers. A
special train with some 50 workmen,
under Mr Phil Roberts, arrived in
Penrith at 2 am and at once pro
cceded to the spot carrying with them
a big supply of tuker. At 8 c'olock
Mr Dews sent word that the road
would repaired at 6 c'olock, and
arrangmenta were at once made for
the despatch of the various trains.
The first train ,to arrive at Glenbrook
for Sydney arrived at the platform as
tho brake -down trains came through
over the newly formed track, and the
whole trains wore got away as
quickly as possible. The road, was
only fixed up for a four miles an
hour and the whole 'of. the staff
were kept going until Sunday
afternoon. All the officers, from
Messers Culnane and Lovett down,
did excellent service and there was
not a hitch
An inspction of tbe place on Sun
day afternoon plainly showed what
had been the effect of the terrific rush
of flood waters. - Hundreds—perhaps
thousands of tons of earth on either
side of the line had been swept away.'
Between 9 and 80 men, undqr
Inspectors Roberts and J. Dews,
wereo still working at the main. line,
which by the time had. once more
been put in order ready for traffic;
but there were evidences every
where of the terrible havoo that had
been wrought to the permanent way—
rails, and rails with the sleepers still
attached, hanging over the gully on
the lower side. The catch-points—or,
as it is better known to railway men,
" Willis' Siding "—which were a pro
vision for safe working in case of
inability of an engine to take the
whole of a train to Gl'enbrook and
necessitating leaving portion behind
for the time being, also came in for
the full rash of water, and suffercd to
a great extent, the siding being twisted:
into all sorts of fantastic shapes.
The workmen,. all of them looked
thoroughly worn .out by their arduous
toil, knocked off between 4 and 5
o'clook, and after a substantial meal
of bread, oorn beef, eto, cooked on tbe
ground, a train going west picked np
a large nnmber of them for their
homes, another train coming along a
little later to take the balance to
Penrith and Sydney wards.