‘I could have died that night’ – Tangiwai shift swap saves train driver’s life

Tangiwai survivor John Mahy and his son Callum at the January 21 memorial service for the 70th anniversary of the tragedy. Photo / Hamish Williams
On the 70th anniversary of New Zealand’s worst rail disaster, a Herald podcast has recalled the tragedy and lessons of Tangiwai. In this bonus episode, host Hamish Williams reflects on the public reaction
When Tangiwai: A Forgotten History launched as a podcast, it had a clearly stated goal. We wanted to bring the story of that fateful Christmas Eve back to the attention of New Zealanders, so the lessons learned that night were never forgotten.
Already the series has produced an overwhelming response from those who listened to the podcast, read the series in print and engaged in the content online.
So many shared their personal stories that we decided to create this bonus episode, ranging from stories of survival – a denied request to swap shifts undoubtedly saved the life of train driver Victor Humphries – to the raw horror of finding the victims’ bodies as they were gradually discovered along the Whangaehu river.
The episode also covers the journey of 149 passengers on the memorial train to the 70th-anniversary ceremony at Tangiwai on Sunday January 21.
Organised in conjunction with Glenbrook Vintage Railway, it featured steel carriages and viewing cabs similar to those the KA 949 train from Wellington to Auckland would have been pulling on the night of the accident.
For some time it looked as if the excursion would not even take place, as it clashed with scheduled track maintenance by KiwiRail. But following inquiries from the podcast, KiwiRail made arrangements to ensure the train could run.
Many of those riding the train that day had learned about the trip from Tangiwai: A Forgotten History and were excited to be there. Some impromptu interviews began with a greeting like; ‘Hi, are you Hamish from the podcast?’
Other passengers sat quietly holding bouquets, remembering family members they lost all those years ago.
We also asked the new Minister for Infrastructure, Chris Bishop, if the lessons of Tangiwai had been applied to New Zealand today. It took more than 50 years for authorities to instal a lahar warning system – just in time for the 2007 event that could have caused a similar disaster – so what did the new coalition Government have in mind, especially after the more recent lessons of Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland anniversary weekend floods?
The initial response was promising – the minister’s staff had been enjoying the podcast. We received this reply shortly afterwards.
“The coalition Government is committed to bridging New Zealand’s infrastructure gap by establishing a National Infrastructure Agency, instituting long-term city and regional infrastructure deals, allowing PPPs, tolling and value capture instruments to fund infrastructure and introducing fast track consenting to cut costs.
“The Government has an ambitious approach to invest in New Zealand’s infrastructure and resilience in the face of national disasters.
“Many of our critical infrastructure networks have become increasingly dependent on one another – meaning that if one fails, others may fail as well. For this reason, taking a coordinated and planned approach to risks based on good quality information will help us recover faster from natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and other shocks like cyber attacks.
Partly thanks to the podcast, the 70th anniversary received wide media coverage, as Ruapehu district Mayor Weston Kirton acknowledged in his speech at the memorial.
“Thank you for bringing it to New Zealanders’ attention – that is why we have so many people here today.”
Tangiwai: A Forgotten History is available at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. The series was made with the support of NZ On Air. For video and photos, go to nzherald.co.nz/tangiwai