The Christmas Train Crash
One of New Zealand’s biggest train disasters happened on the Christmas break in 1953. Around 10:30 PM on Christmas Eve, a fast passenger train with nearly 285 passengers crossed a bridge over the Whangaehu River.
Unseen, a sudden flood had destroyed the supports of the bridge only moments before. Tragically, as the train was crossing, the bridge collapsed, causing all five second-class and one first-class carriage to fall into the river. Sadly, this incident resulted in 151 deaths.
