At 10.21 p.m. on Christmas Eve 1953 the Wellington–Auckland night express plunged into the flooded Whangaehu River at Tangiwai, 10 kilometres west of Waiouru in the central North Island. Of the 285 passengers and crew on board, 151 died in New Zealand's worst railway accident.
New Zealand disasters timeline
This timeline lists New Zealand’s worst post-1840 natural disasters, transport accidents, fires, mining accidents and other tragedies that have caused major loss of life. Follow the links for more information on NZHistory.net.nz, Te Ara and other sites. See also: map showing location of these disasters
Police response to disaster
Responding to tragedy
...although the functions of the Police have not been set down by statute, there is universal acceptance that these are primarily the preservation of life and property. It follows naturally from this that the Police have a clear duty to adopt all reasonable means towards these ends.
Commissioner of Police C. L. Spencer 1963
Wrong place at the wrong time - Tangiwai disaster
For New Zealand, 1953 had been a year of significant milestones. In May, Edmund Hillary had scaled the heights of Mt Everest. On 23 December the country could barely control its excitement at the arrival of the beautiful young Queen Elizabeth II and her dashing husband, Prince Philip.
Travelling by train - North Island main trunk line
A 'dimly-lit, meat-pie journey'
Hear about train travel in New Zealand (1mb).
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