1963 Brynderwyn bus accident

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1963 Brynderwyn bus accident
Details
Date7 February 1963 (1963-02-07)
13:00
LocationPilbrow Hill, Brynderwyn Range
CoordinatesCoordinates: 36°04′45.7″S 174°25′34.1″E / 36.079361°S 174.426139°E / -36.079361; 174.426139
CountryNew Zealand
OwnerWaikato Services Ltd.
CauseBrake failure
Statistics
Passengers35
Crew1
Deaths15
Injured21

The 1963 Brynderwyn bus accident occurred on the day after Waitangi Day, 7 February 1963, when a bus rolled down a slope in the Brynderwyn Range, killing 15 people. To date, it is the deadliest road accident in New Zealand history.[1]

Background[]

The 1963 Waitangi Day celebrations in Waitangi, Northland, were attended by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.[2] A bus was chartered by the Māori Affairs Department to carry 35 passengers to and from the celebrations.[3] All of the passengers were Māori from the wider Auckland area, many from the Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara iwi.[4] Some were part of a kapa haka delegation that performed for the Queen at Waitangi.[5] The bus, owned by Waikato Services Ltd., was driven by 46-year-old Harold Parker.[6]

Accident[]

The bus departed Paihia on the morning of 7 February.[7] The accident occurred after 1:00 pm, when the bus was traversing the Brynderwyn Ranges section of State Highway 1, between the towns of Waipu and Kaiwaka.[4] The bus had just finished a break at the summit of Pilbrow Hill.[7] As the bus started to descend down the southern face of the hill, the service brakes on the bus failed.[1][4] Following this, Parker attempted to steer the bus through the remainder of the downhill section.[1][7] The bus left the road on the final bend of the hill, plummeting some 30 m down the valley of the Piroa Stream.[3][4]

Aftermath and legacy[]

The Snelling family, who owned a farm nearby and had heard the accident, were the first to reach the wreckage.[6][7] Additionally, a party of 5 members from the Auckland District Māori Council, who had also been travelling on the road, assisted with the initial response.[3] 14 people were initially killed by the accident.[8] Another person later died from their injuries, resulting in a death toll of 15.[1] The remaining 21 injured were taken to Whangarei Hospital by 3:30 pm.[6][8]

Following the accident, the Queen sent a message of condolence to Prime Minister Keith Holyoake, asking him to "convey [Prince Philip and I's] sympathy to the injured and the next-of-kin of those who lost their lives in the bus."[6]

A commission of inquiry was held by the Department of Transport in April 1963, which concluded that the accident was caused by brake failure.[1][4] Regulations for passenger service vehicle construction were subsequently changed sixteen months later.[7]

A memorial stone was unveiled at the scene location on 7 February 2003, on the 40th anniversary of the accident.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Leask, Anna (7 February 2013). "Brynderwyn tragedy: The nightmare never fades". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  2. ^ McLintock, Alexander H, ed. (1966). "The 1963 Tour". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
  3. ^ a b c "Sketch map of the Brynderwyn accident". Flickr. Archives New Zealand. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e McLintock, Alexander H, ed. (1966). "Waitangi Day Bus Accident, 1963". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
  5. ^ Clent, Danielle (9 August 2017). "Fatal bus crash killed four of her family - but it's time to let go". Stuff. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "Fifteen died in Brynderwyn tragedy". Northern Advocate. Whangarei, NZ. 8 February 1963.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Brynderwyns bus accident". Christchurch City Council Libraries. n.d. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Don Milne: Horrendous sight of 14 bodies laid out in a line". The New Zealand Herald. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Brynderwyn bus disaster memorial". New Zealand History. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
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