Ōngarue rail disaster remembered with memorial unveiling

The Kirton family with the newly-unveiled memorial at Ongarue - (from left) John Kirton and Janette Kirton, Ella Kirton and her father Kerry, Mayor Weston Kirton with son Sean and grandsons Rex and Ray.

Victims of the Ōngarue rail disaster that occurred 100 years ago near Taumarunui have been remembered with the unveiling of a memorial near the crash site.

The 1923 rail tragedy killed 17 people when an express train ran into a massive slip blocking the main trunk line.

More than 200 people from around New Zealand attended the unveiling on Saturday, July 8, with a number of them members of the Kirton family.

The anniversary holds special significance for the family and Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton is the grandson of Alfred Kirton, who was the Taumarunui station master at the time of the disaster and played a leading role in the recovery operation.

Weston Kirton began leading a committee to raise funds and community awareness as a Horizons regional councillor before he was elected mayor in 2022.

“The disaster holds significant historical importance as it marked the first major loss of life in New Zealand railway history when the overnight express collided with a landslip, resulting in the loss of 17 lives and injuries to 28 individuals,” Kirton said.

“The development of a memorial was long overdue given the scale and impact of the incident, which remains the third worst railway accident in the history of New Zealand. The stories and photos now on display at the memorial speak for themselves and provide a permanent reminder of the tragedy and its place in New Zealand’s rail history.”

Photograph taken the morning after the Auckland-Wellington express ploughed into a landslide at Ōngarue on July 6, 1923. Photo / Te Ara

Kirton said It was wonderful to see so many people turn out for the unveiling, including many from the local community and organisations who helped to build the site.

He said the slip on the track was not visible to the train driver until he had negotiated a sharp bend and he did not have sufficient time to apply the brakes.

“The impact of the tragedy was far-reaching and led to crucial safety improvements with carriage lighting and electric headlights being installed on locomotives, ensuring enhanced visibility and reducing the risk of similar incidents,” Kirton said.

“By the end of 1924, these safety improvements were implemented across most North Island express trains.”

Kirton said there would not have been much money around in post-World War I New Zealand to pay for a memorial at the time of the disaster and he felt compelled to instigate a monument for the victims and for his grandfather.

“I am sure that he would have been very proud to know what we have achieved here in erecting a memorial acknowledging those who died and those who responded to this major disaster,” he said.