Disaster Memorial. On June 4th, 1943 the express train from Cromwell to Dunedin derailed while navigating "Straw Cutting", bursting the boiler and telescoping many of the carriages, all of which left the rails. Twenty-one passengers were killed in the accident and a further forty-seven were injured. Survivors of the accident noted the train going excessively fast and witnessed people struggling to stand and luggage falling from racks. The driver was discovered to be intoxicated and later found guilty of manslaughter. At the time of the disaster it was the worst rail disaster to occur in New Zealand but was surpassed by the Tangiwai Disaster ten years later. The memorial was erected in 1990 and lists all that died in the incident. The cairn stands five hundred and forty meters south of the disaster sight which now forms part of the Otago Central Rail Trail.
Disaster Memorial. On June 4th, 1943 the express train from Cromwell to Dunedin derailed while navigating "Straw Cutting", bursting the boiler and telescoping many of the carriages, all of which left the rails. Twenty-one passengers were killed in the accident and a further forty-seven were injured. Survivors of the accident noted the train going excessively fast and witnessed people struggling to stand and luggage falling from racks. The driver was discovered to be intoxicated and later found guilty of manslaughter. At the time of the disaster it was the worst rail disaster to occur in New Zealand but was surpassed by the Tangiwai Disaster ten years later. The memorial was erected in 1990 and lists all that died in the incident. The cairn stands five hundred and forty meters south of the disaster sight which now forms part of the Otago Central Rail Trail.
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