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Story: Railway accidents

Disaster at Hyde

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Onlookers view the crumpled carriages after the Cromwell–Dunedin express came to grief near the town of Hyde on 4 June 1943. The train, which was travelling too fast, derailed on a corner and the carriages piled into each other. Many people were injured, and 24 were killed.

Listen to Jack Wilson, a survivor, describe the horror of the accident.

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Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

Reference: 12838

Image: Private collection

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Railway accidents – Major railway disasters, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/speech/20599/disaster-at-hyde (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 4 March 2010.

Comments

Jayden Randall
05 October 2011
This Was A Wonderfully detailed report and has helped me With my research alot But is that the full story.