Accidents involving loss of life
Locomotive No.1, 1858
This locomotive, built in 1855 by Robert Stephenson with three others for the first real railway line in New South Wales, was involved in two fatal accidents. The first occurred as a derailment on 10 July 1858. [1] [2] The locomotive was pulling two open third-class carriages, a first- and a second-class carriage between Sydney and Parramatta. Near Homebush, the two third-class compartments left the rails and toppled down an embankment. There were thirty people in the two carriages, of whom two were killed, one a solicitor, the other a market gardener. In the ensuing investigation, reported in the Sydney Morning Herald , it was suggested that the problem was caused by damage to the hollow-cast rails which were not able to withstand the weight of the locomotive. Rail workers, some of whom witnessed the derailment, claimed that the problem was caused, at least in part, by the practice of loose-coupling the lightweight third-class carriages in the same way as heavy goods trucks. The matter also drew to the attention of the managers the fact that the price of first class travel, at four shillings, was so exorbitant that even the wealthiest citizens of Sydney chose to travel in the open carriages.
The Newtown collision, 1868
On 6 January 1868, a man was killed when Locomotive No. 1 collided with a passenger train at Newtown station. The locomotive was severely damaged and retired. It is now on display at the Powerhouse Museum. Newtown station was at that time located west of the present station, its platform eventually forming part of the foundation of Crago's Flour Mill. [3]
Emu Plains Collision, 1878
On the night of 30 January 1878, head-on collision between two goods trains. One of the drivers (Michael Stephenson) survived and the other driver and the firemen of both trains [4] together with a guard riding in the cab of the up train, were killed. [5] The primitive system of working the trains was found to be responsible.
Currabubula Train Accident, 1878
On the night of 28 May 1878, the coupling on a ballast carriage between the tracks and train failed. There were two fatalities, and at least one other injured. [6] An inquest held on 5 June 1878 at Murrurundi cleared all persons of negligence. [7]
Cootamundra train disaster, 1885
On 25 January 1885, the Melbourne-Sydney mail train derailed between Bethungra and Cootamundra, killing seven and injuring over 20. The cause was a washaway of a culvert over Salt Clay Creek during a period of heavy rainfall. [8] See also Salt Clay Creek railway disaster
Peats Ferry, 1887
On 21 June 1887, an excursion train from Sydney ran out of control down the steep Cowan Bank. There were two other trains full of holidaymakers standing at the platforms at Hawkesbury River station and disaster was only averted by the alert station master who could hear the roaring engine and frantic whistling. He dispatched a railway porter to throw the points lever open and divert the runaway down a siding that led to the new bridge site. The train lost speed along the railway causeway out to Long Island and collided with some empty wagons. The locomotive slid off the embankment and ended up partially submerged in the river. The engine driver was trapped in the cabin and drowned but the fireman escaped. The toll was six dead and seventy injured.
The Bathurst Accident, 1890
On 25 April 1890, an Up mixed train, after shunting at Kelso, climbed the 1 in 50 grade to Raglan where it again stopped to unload parcels as well as pick and set down passengers. The drawbar between the third and fourth vehicles broke, releasing the bulk of the train which commenced to run back down the hill, there being no continuous air-brake throughout the train. The runaway vehicles ran all the way down the grade, across the Macquarie River railway bridge and into Bathurst yard where they collided with the following goods train. Four passengers in the rear of the Mixed train were killed and three others injured. [9]
Tarana, 1892
On 27 April 1892, eight passengers were killed by a derailment of the rear carriages of a western-bound mail train caused by a broken rail. [10]
Redfern Rail Collision, 1894
On 31 October 1894, the 9.31 am, six carriage local train travelling from Strathfield was approaching the terminus at Redfern. As the train reached the signalbox, it was hit without warning by the 9.30 am train bound for Goulburn, which apparently departed against a stop signal. The Goulburn-bound train was only travelling at an estimated 10 kilometres per hour, however the accident was devastating in terms of damage, injury and loss of life. [11] Steam and hot cinders killed 13 passengers, including Edward Lloyd Jones the chairman of David Jones Limited, and twenty seven were injured. [12] [13] [14]
Orton Park, Bathurst, 1898
On 4 June 1898, the 1:50 am No.29 down train departed Bathurst. As it passed Orton Park the driver, Mr. Sargeant, became aware that it had run over something. He reported the matter on arrival at George's Plains, by telephone to Bathurst. Mr. Rains, the Night Stationmaster, sent the shunting engine and shunters Mayo and Musgrave to find out what the something was. Shunter Musgrave returned at 2:50 am to report that they had found the mangled, headless remains of a man. Constable Brennan went out by the No.61 down mail to assist in the search, for body parts, and take charge of the remains. Some time elapsed before the head was discovered some distance from the body. The remains were then taken to the Bathurst Hospital. Although formal identification took some time, due to disfigurement from the accident, the body was initially identified as Herbert Thomas Smith, a 38-year-old Bathurst carpenter, from the contribution book of the Oddfellows Lodge, that was on the body. From the marks observed on the front of the engine, it was supposed that Mr. Smith was on his feet and became confused as the train approached. After being hit he then fell across the line and was literally cut to pieces. Death would have been instantaneous. He was returning from a job in Rockley and it is thought he chose to walk on the line as the track was too muddy due to recent rain. A subsequent Inquest found that the deceased had come to his death by being accidentally run over by a train and exonerated the driver from all blame. [15]
Sydenham derailment, 1901
Seven people were killed, including the fireman, and twenty six injured when a steam locomotive and two passenger cars derailed just south of Sydenham station. [16]
The withdrawal of the F-class steam locomotives from passenger service was the result of this derailment. The train involved was the 5:55 pm from Sydney, bound for Hurstville. Shortly after passing Sydenham Junction, the engine suddenly left the rails, shot off the track to the left in the vicinity of the level crossing at Bridge Street, collided with and smashed the crossing gate and signal post and travelled some distance down Bridge Street before coming to a stand. [17]
Lithgow Zig-Zag, 1908
On 8 December 1908, a locomotive hauling a Sydney-bound stalled on the 1 in 30 gradient near the Clarence tunnel. The engine-driver decided to divide the train. Unfortunately the engineman's mate did not release the air in the brakes. The second portion of the trained rolled downwards. The train's guard fell from his guard van and was injured. However, the guard of a stationary goods train that the runaway wagons ran into was killed. [18]
Ardglen Tunnel, 1909
On 27 November 1909, the fireman on engine T727 was scalded to death by escaping steam spewed from its funnel in the Ardglen Tunnel (between Werris Creek and Murrurundi.) [19]
Brooklyn, 1913
On 8 October 1913 at around 10:00 pm, a migrant who was employed as a packer on the railway, was run over by a north-bound train and killed. The body, which was terribly mutilated, was not found till about 6.00am the following morning (9th). [20]
Exeter, 1914
On 13 March 1914, fourteen passengers killed and thirty-two injured when the Temora mail train crashed into a stationary train. [21] [22]
Moss Vale, 1914
On 12 May 1914, one killed and five injured in the vicinity of Bong Bong Bridge when an express goods train from Goulburn crashed into the rail trolley on which they were travelling. [23]
Hurstville train disaster, 1920
On 30 August 1920, five people were killed when a train shunted into the back of a locomotive at Hurstville station. [24]
The Aberdeen Accident, 1926
Derailment of Brisbane Express caused by faulty track and collapse of flood openings by washaways. Five people were killed and 39 injured. [25]
Murulla train accident, 1926
On 13 September 1926, a collision at Murulla. The collision resulted in the death of 26 persons. [26] (Gunn has 27 fatalities.) [27]
Eastwood, 1940
An engine driver was killed in similar circumstance to the Eastwood, 1948 accident detailed below. [28]
Brooklyn, 1944
Total of sixteen were killed and at least four others critically injured following a collision on 15 January 1944 between the Tamworth mail train and a bus at a level crossing a short distance from Hawkesbury River station. The engine of the train struck the bus, which contained 21 passengers. [29]
Central, 1947
On 24 December 1947, a man was struck and killed by a train at Central station. [30]
Sefton, 1947
On 24 December 1947, a man was struck and killed by a train near Sefton station probably whilst crossing the line to visit his daughter's home. [30]
Redfern, 1947
On 25 December 1947, a man collapsed and fell in front of a train. The man was killed. [30]
Bundanoon/Tallong, 1947
On 23 December 1947, an army private, Bryan Williams (18), was killed on the roof of a train a result of his head striking an overhead bridge. [30]
Rocky Ponds (Harden), 1948
1948 Rocky Ponds rail disaster
On 30 June 1948, four persons were killed and 19 injured when the crowded South-West mail train plunged down a 9-metre (30 feet). embankment near Harden, about 370 km (230 miles) south of Sydney, just before 5 am. [31]
Sodwalls, 1950
On 3 April 1950, a railway fireman was killed and the driver seriously injured when a petrol tanker on a derailed train blew up. The explosion happened when a railway embankment, weakened by heavy rain, collapsed, and the locomotive, with several trucks, plunged into a 30 ft deep cavity near Bathurst. The train was travelling between Tarana and Sodwalls at about 10 pm. It was pulling trucks carrying oil, timber, and at least one petrol tanker. [32]
Berala train collision, 1952
On 7 May 1952 in conditions of heavy fog, a fully laden passenger train ran into the rear of a stationary passenger train at Berala station. A crowded eight-car suburban train from Liverpool to Sydney was standing in the station at Berala when a second, equally crowded train from Bankstown ran into the rear (in heavy fog conditions) killing 10 people and injuring 140. Four of the carriages of the Liverpool train were telescoped into each other, with the dead being in the last two. The crash was so severe it was heard 4.5 km away. [33] A belated commemoration service was held 50 years later.
The Bankstown train had tripped past a train stop at red, in accordance with the rules.
Sydenham rail disaster, 1953
On 19 December 1953, five people were killed and 748 injured when a Bankstown-bound train crashed into the rear of an East Hills train at Sydenham station. A signal electrician was manipulating a failed track circuit relay, but was distracted and forgot to release the track circuit when the train passed, causing a wrong side failure and the collision. [34]
Robertson, 1962
On 4 August 1962, a driver (Treharne) was killed when three 44 class locomotives (4432, 4434 and 4439) in a runaway train smashed into a stationary goods train at Robertson. [35] [36]
Liverpool, 1962
On the evening of 12 July 1962, a goods train hauled by two diesel locomotives crashed into the rear of a passenger train on a viaduct south of Liverpool station. Two men, a guard and a signalman, were killed and seven injured. [37] [38]
Liverpool train collision, 1965
On 31 October 1965, a freight train collided with a stationary electric passenger train waiting to depart Liverpool station in Sydney's south western suburbs. One person was killed and four people were injured. The cause was the driver of the freight train having fallen asleep. [39]
Kempsey, 1968
On 9 December 1968, the North Coast Daylight Express collided with a school bus at the Middleton St level crossing in Kempsey. Four schoolgirls were killed and 17 people were injured including 15 children. [40]
A further two of the injured schoolgirls died in the days following the incident. [41]
Borenore train collision, 1970
On 31 July 1970, the Silver City Comet passenger express had a head-on collision with a stationary Indian Pacific train at Borenore, near Orange. The driver of the Comet and an elderly female passenger were killed, with at least twenty injured. [42]
Heathcote train collision, 1970
On 29 October 1970, three people were killed when a rail motor collided into the rear of a stationary goods train. [43] [44]
Robertson, 1972
On 6 May 1972, a head-on collision between locomotives 4525 and 4462 at Robertson resulted in the death of a railway fireman who was set alight by blazing diesel oil. A driver was charged with manslaughter. [45]
Dunheved, 1972
On 18 May 1972, at the munitions factory crossing St Mary's, there was a railway accident that resulted in the death of a Federal Police Officer. The vehicle he was travelling in was struck by the train whilst the man was on his way to work at the factory sentry post.
Mellilee, 1974
On 26 October 1974, there was a head-on collision between two goods trains. The collision derailed fourteen carriages. A train fireman, injured in the collision subsequently died. [46]
Gunnedah, 1975
On 13 May 1975, the driver of the Northern Tablelands Express and a railways inspector were killed when the train ploughed into a semi-trailer on a level crossing near Gunnedah. [47]
Glenbrook, 1976
On 16 January 1976, one man died and ten others were badly injured when a heavily laden goods train ploughed into the rear of a four-car passenger train 500 metres short of Glenbrook station. [48]
Granville railway disaster, 1977
On 18 January 1977, electric locomotive 4620, while hauling an 8-car train travelling from the Blue Mountains to Sydney, derailed at Granville, hitting a row of supports of an overhead road bridge, causing the bridge to collapse on to two passenger cars of the derailed train. 83 people died and more than 200 were badly injured in this, Australia's worst-ever railway disaster.
Burbong, 1979
On 21 March 1979, a woman was killed and her son injured in a level-crossing accident near Queanbeyan. [49]
Valley Heights train collision, 1982
On 18 July 1982, there was a collision between a moving empty wheat train and the previous empty coal train which was stationary at Valley Heights station. The collision took place in the early hours around 2 am. There was a risk of explosion from the leakage of gas from two cylinders in the brake van. The driver of the wheat train was killed. The guard of the coal train was only slightly injured, even though the brake van in which he was travelling was reduced to splinters.
South Windsor, 1984
On 13 February 1984, a train driver was killed when a train hit a semi-trailer. The train's guard was seriously injured. [50]
Cowan, 1984
On 28 April 1984, the driver of a suburban train was crushed to death when it ploughed into the rear of a goods train 1 km from Cowan station. Four passengers were injured. [51]
Between Bell and Hartley Vale stations, 1987
On 25 May 1987, one worker was killed when a Sydney bound freight train collided with an excavator. [52]
Springwood, 1987
On 15 August 1987, two workers were killed and one worker and one passenger injured when a passenger train collided with a mobile crane on the down main track 500 m east of Springwood station. [52]
Wentworthville train derailment, 1989
On 27 December 1989, an eight car Tangara electric passenger train travelling west to Emu Plains became derailed just to the east of the station. Three of the eight carriages derailed, the rear car D6127 being destroyed by the impact with the platform and another, N5127 being condemned some months later. It was CityRail's first major Tangara accident. A 41-year-old male passenger who had to be cut from the wreckage of the rear car died later that day in Westmead Hospital. [53]
(Brooklyn) Cowan Bank train disaster, 1990
On 6 May 1990, an electric interurban train travelling south between Newcastle and Sydney collided into the back of a chartered heritage tourist train, killing six and injuring 99 people. The heritage train (led by steam locomotive 3801) had stalled on the Cowan Bank, and dropped sand onto the track to increase traction resulting in a wrong side signal failure. Four fatalities resulted when the rear carriage of the heritage train was crushed by the impact from the electric interurban train. The driver and one passenger in the electric train were also killed. An interim ban was placed on heritage train operation in New South Wales following this disaster. [54]
Parkes, 1991
[ citation needed ]
Muswellbrook, 1998
On 9 August 1998, two rail maintenance workers, 31 and 50 years, were killed when an empty coal train rounded a sharp curve at 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph) and smashed into their truck, picking it up & spinning it into a cliff face. A third man who was on the tracks managed to leap to safety before the collision. The workers were part of 3 crews carrying out maintenance work on the Sandy Hollow-Ulan line near Muswellbrook. About 7 am the maintenance trucks were travelling along a gorge area beside the line when workers in the last truck noticed the train approaching & tried to warn the truck in the middle. Two of the crew from the middle truck had left the cabin, one closing a gate & the other picking up rocks from the line, leaving 2 men in the truck. The collision threw the men from the cabin & dragged debris 100m down the line. Despite the workers in the other trucks waving at them, the truck had insufficient time to move. The train driver, a guard and 2 workers were taken by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Newcastle for counselling. Rail Services Australia, employers of the victims, announced an investigation into the fatal crash. The investigation would focus on why both the maintenance crew and coal train were on the tracks at the same time & why no warning was given. [55]
Robertson, 1998
On 19 May 1998, two train drivers died when their freight train derailed near Robertson. The train they were driving was 1BY4 Brisbane to Whyalla Steel Train headed by NR3, NR26 and NR57. At 05:30 in the pouring rain and heavy fog, the abutments of a recently replaced road overbridge collapsed onto the tracks. The leading locomotive derailed onto its side and the roof was ripped off by the abutments of the new bridge. The train then pushed the locomotive into a mound of mud before coming to a rest.
Glenbrook train disaster, 1999
On 2 December 1999, an interurban passenger train collided with the rear of the Indian Pacific long-distance passenger train waiting at a failed signal, resulting in seven fatalities.
Waterfall train disaster, 2003
On 31 January 2003, a driver of a southbound interurban electric Tangara passenger train, G7, travelling from Sydney to Wollongong suffered a heart attack, causing the train to derail at high speed south of Waterfall station, resulting in seven fatalities and multiple injuries.
Albury, 2006
On 5 June 2006, an XPT train was involved in an accident with a sedan driven into its path at an active level crossing. The deceased driver of the sedan was found to have a cannabis concentration to a level where his driving performance was almost certainly impaired. [57]
Ariah Park, 2006
On 15 April 2006, a rail safety worker was killed in a shunting accident on a Heritage train at Ariah Park. [58]
Back Creek, 2007
At approximately 1830 on Saturday 10 March 2007, a semi trailer loaded with hay bales and a hay baler drove into the path of empty grain train 3835 at the Tallabung to Back Creek Road level crossing The semi trailer driver was killed in the collision. The train derailed and, with the crushed semi trailer underneath the leading locomotive, travelled 144 m further onto and over the timber and concrete rail bridge over the Back Creek watercourse. The leading locomotive came to a rest off the track on the embankment past the bridge; the other two locomotives came to rest on the bridge. The wreckage caught fire following the collision, ultimately destroying all three locomotives, the bridge superstructure and the semi trailer. The train crew, although injured, were able to exit the leading locomotive and escape from the fire. The investigation found that the semi trailer driver drove into the path of the train without stopping at the level crossing's 'Stop' sign. [59]
Newbridge (near Bathurst), 2010
On 5 May 2010 at 11:16 am, an excavator driver was killed when an XPT (WT27) service collided with his excavator. The man was part of a crew engaged in trackwork that did not obtain necessary track possessions before proceeding to cut up spare rails by the track, and was subsequently hit from behind by the XPT on a blind curve at 69 kilometres per hour. When the XPT collided with the excavator, the excavator was propelled along the track for about 20 m before the extended boom struck a utility vehicle parked on the southern side of the track. The excavator and utility vehicle were then pushed off the track and came to rest about 38 m from the point of initial impact. [60] [61]
Central, 2016
An elderly woman died 15 days from her injuries sustained from falling down the carriage steps of a V set by the force of the train being shunted into another train. She was departing from the train which had just returned from Newcastle and had delayed disembarking from the train to prevent holding up other passengers on 10 August 2016. [62]
Tempe, 2017
A man was hit and killed by a train after he ran onto the tracks at Tempe railway station on 9 August 2017. [63]
Oatley, 2018
On 22 April 2018, a boy escaped from his carers and was hit and killed by a train at Oatley. [64] The boy had been missing since approximately 8:20 pm the previous Sunday and the locals of Oatley had banded together to help look for him. It was with great sorrow that his body was found early that morning and to this day the community still mourns his passing [65]
Riverwood, 2018
At approximately some time before 14:50 on 5 September 2018, a man was struck and killed by a train at Riverwood railway station. He was on the tracks when he was killed and it is possible he was on the tracks with a friend spraying graffiti on a stationary train on the opposite track. [66]
