MAIN TRUNK EXPRESS SMASH

At 4:45 am on 27 May 1914, the north bound Wellington to Auckland express plunged into a 41 truck freight train at Whangamarino Station, 11 km south of Mercer. Three passengers died and five were seriously injured. A fault in the signal caused the accident.

0 ft. 'Main trunk express smash' (The Dominion (NZ) Film Manufacturing Co) Maori carving border to title'.
1 ft. M.L.S. man standing by smashed carriage.
9 ft. Pan across carriages - sleeping car with another car crashed into it.
62 ft. M.C.U. Postal van telescoped into another car.
70 ft. L.S. group of men working.
76 ft. C.U. smashed carriage.
82 ft. L.S. Group of men looking at smashed carriage.
85 ft. C.U. Engine on its side - railwayman's head out of window - red hand-tinted roof, neck scarf, gravel.
92 ft. Another train comes along track next to overturned engine.
103 ft. C.U. wreckage - wheels etc.
120 ft. C.U. Front of engine on its side.
123 ft. L.S. men watching carriages being separated.
132 ft. M.S. Men putting beams under carriage.
142 ft. Men working on wreck of postal van.
159 ft. View from interior of wreckage.
165 ft. M.S. man & wreckage.
172 ft. L.S. Train, men surveying wreckage, pan across men working.
192 ft. Separation of 2 carriages.
198 ft. M.S. men & wrecked interior.
208 ft. M.S. men & wrecked interior - another car.
213 ft. View of interior.
219 ft. L.S. Man with bag doctor?, stepping over wreckage.
228 ft. Pan across overturned car & engine.
262 ft. L.S. Men looking at underside of train.
271 ft. End.