Railway accidents in New South Wales

The railways of New South Wales, Australia have had several incidents and accidents since their formation in 1831.

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 10th July 1858 ["The Haslem's Creek Derailment" Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, February, 1954 pp17-21] . The locomotive was pulling two open 3rd Class carriages, a 1st and a 2nd Class carriage between Sydney and Paramatta. Near Homebush, the two 3rd Class compartments left the rails and toppled down and embankment. There were thirty people in the two carriages, of which two were killed, one a solicitor and 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 habit of loose-coupling the lightweight 3rd 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 1st class travel, at 4 shillings, was so exorbitant that even the wealthiest citizens of Sydney chose to travel in the open carriages

The Newtown collision, 1868

On 6th 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.

Emu Plains Collision, 1878

On the night of 30 January, 1878, head-on collision between two goods trains. The Drivers and Firemen of both trains, together with a Guard riding in the cab of the Up train, were killed. ["The Cornfield Meet at Emu Plains" Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May/June, 1953 pp50-54/68-72] .

Bethungra train disaster, 1885

On the 25th of January 1885 the Melbourne-Sydney Express passenger train derailed near Bethungra, killing seven and injuring over 20. The cause was a washout of a culvert during a period of heavy rainfallcite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Bethungra, NSW: Train Derailment | url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/6acf1dc9ee9db769ca256d33000581b5?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] .

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 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 ["The Bathurst Accident" Fookes, R.S. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March, 1955 pp28-36] .

Hurstville train disaster, 1920

On the 30th of August 1920, five people were killed when a train shunted into the back of a locomotive at Hurstville stationcite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Hurstville, (Sydney), NSW - Rail Accident | url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/d288fc91a5c14e9cca256d3300058102?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] .

The Aberdeen Accident, 1926

Derailment of Brisbane Express caused by faulty track and collapse of flood openings. Five persons were killed and 39 injured [Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, April, 1961 pp61-65] .

Murulla train accident, 1926

* Murulla runaway collision

Lindfield train disaster, 1928

The Lindfield train disaster 30 dead and 21 injured of 1928 occurred due to a breakdown in the stop and proceed method of passing an automatic signal at stop. Lindfield is a station on the Sydney CityRail system. It is on double track with an extra terminating platform. The train ahead was waiting at a red signal for the terminating platform at Lindfield station to clear. The train behind was waiting at Roseville station at a red signal held in that position because of the train ahead. On passing the red automatic signal under the stop and proceed rule, the driver of the train behind should have maintained an extreme cautious speed, but he failed to do so, running into the rear of the train ahead, caused some carriages to telescope. Fortunately, both trains were fairly empty as they were travelling in the counter-peak direction resulting in only minimal casualties. There were 30 deaths and 21 injured from both trains.

At the time of the accident, visibility was good, although a train on the other track may have slightly obscured the train ahead around a gentle right hand curve. Drivers when departing stations, almost always accelerate to normal speed. Exceptionally, on this occasion, the driver of the train behind needed to maintain extremely cautious speed. The need to do this may have been overridden by another engraved behaviour pattern.

Berala train collision, 1952

On the 7th May, 1952 in conditions of heavy fog, a fully laden passenger train ran into the rear of another stationary passenger train at Berala Station. Death toll was 10 with injuries to another 140 passengers. A belated commemoration service was held 50 years later.

Sydenham rail disaster, 1953

In the Sydenham rail disaster, 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 a collision.fact|date=November 2007

Liverpool train collision, 1965

On the 31st of 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 asleepcite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Liverpool, NSW: Train Crash | url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/62c09a021342f308ca256d3300058214?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] .

Heathcote train collision, 1970

On the 29st of October, 1970 three people were killed when a rail motor collided into the rear of a stationary goods traincite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Heathcote (Sydney), NSW: Train Collision | url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/5a81f77461de1c4dca256d3300057f3c?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] cite web| work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | title=The World Today | url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s70511.htm| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] .

Granville railway disaster, 1977

On the 18th January, 1977 an electric interurban passenger 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 onto and crush the derailed train. 83 people died and more than 200 were badly injured in this, thus causing Australia's worst railway disaster.

Wentworthville train derailment, 1989

On the 27th of 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 being destroyed by the impact with the platform and another being condemned some months later. It was Cityrail's first major Tangara accident. A passenger who had to be cut from the wreckage of the rear car died later that day in Westmead Hospital.

Cowan train disaster, 1990

On the 6th 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 dumped 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 his cab companion in the electric train were also killed. An interim ban was placed on heritage train operation in New South Wales following this disaster.cite web| work=Emergency NSW | title=Cowan 1999| url=http://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/content.php/281.html| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006]

Glenbrook train disaster, 1999

On 3rd 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 31st of January 2003, a driver of a southbound interurban electric passenger train 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.

Accidents involving no loss of life

Roseville Collision, 1950

On the morning of 28th of July, 1950 there was a serious dislocation of traffic caused by the overhead power wiring fouling the down and up lines at Auburn, resulting in a complete recast of the affected electric services. To provide a reasonable service on the North Shore line, trains were transposed at Central, resulting in delays to trains and causing trains to catch up to those in front. A down train "tripped" past a signal showing stop at the down end of Roseville platform into the section occupied by the preceding train. After recharging the brake air supply, the driver proceeded at above a cautious speed and came into violent collision with the train ahead. An up train came into contact with the telescoped cars of the initial collision, tearing the sides of that train away. There were no cases of serious injury to passenmgers on the three trains [Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, December, 1950, pp129-131] .

Waterfall collision, 1994

Two S-set electric trains collided in the early hours of the morning during a shunting procedure at Waterfall station in the south of Sydney. Both trains were empty of passengers. Carriages jack-knifed in spectacular fashion onto the platform causing demolition of a concrete ramp and part of the station canopy. [http://gallery.railpage.com.au/modules/gallery/album680 Pictures]

Beresfield Rail Collision, 1997

On the 23rd of October 1997 a coal train collided into the rear of another coal train standing on the same tracks at Beresfield station near Newcastle. The cause was a failure to stop at a signal. Six people were injured including the station master and a commuter who jumped from the platform moments before the collision. The crash resulted in dozens of coal-wagons tumbling over the platform and across the tracks, closing all four tracks of the Main North Line and a virtual demolition of Beresfield station. [ATSBLink | type =R | year =1998 | occno =1998001 | title = Coal Train Collision | accessdate = 2007-06-09] cite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Beresfield (Newcastle), NSW: Rail Collision| url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/f89905ed418cb58eca256d3300057e20?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006]

Concord derailment, 1998

On the 9th of September 1998, a Tangara passenger train on a southbound movement in the early hours of the morning derailed between Concord West and North Strathfield stations ending up partially in a local street, and almost completely blocking all North and Southbound rail lines. The cause was excessive train speed by the drivercite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Concord, (Sydney), NSW: Railway Accident| url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/72c99bd14b0d5b80ca256d3300057f90?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] as he passed over points switching the train to a relief line at mainline speed. [http://gallery.railpage.com.au/modules/gallery/album678 Pictures] It was found that the Driver had insufficient warning of the turnout due to previously radioed information and very close signals.

Hornsby derailment, 1999

On the 9th July 1999, Four cars of an eight car electric passenger train were derailed when it was incorrectly diverted into a siding, causing the train to hit a gravel embankment and become entangled in powerlines. Three passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuriescite web| work=World Socialist Website| title=The New South Wales rail system—a disaster waiting to happen| url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/aug1999/rail-a14.shtml| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] .

Blue Mountains train fire, 2000

On the 25th July 2000, a westbound interurban electric passenger train caught fire requiring the evacuation of the train and the hospitalisation of six people. The cause was thought to be an electrical fault in the roof of the leading carriagecite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=1 missing as trains collide| url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/54273a46a9c753b3ca256d0900180220/86b75dcb6083163dca25704600172916?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] .

Kingsgrove derailment, 2000

On the 6th of October 2000, an eight car Tangara train derailed at low speed near Kingsgrove station on the East Hills line, causing the rear three carriages to topple onto its side. The cause was a track twist as a result of very high temperatures.cite web| work=NSW Ministry of Transport | title=Kingsgrove derailment report released| url=http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news/media/2001/13-07-kingsgrove.html| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006] Ten people were hospitalised.cite web| work=Emergency Management Australia | title=Train derailment, Sydney| url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/0/e0054af0c86592c5ca256d330005aea5?OpenDocument| accessdate=30 December | accessyear=2006]

Hexham derailment and crash, 2002

On the 12th of July 2002, a coal train derailed at the Newcastle suburb of Hexham due to a points failure. A signalman closed two of the four tracks at the site to traffic, however a passenger train on one of the adjacent pair of tracks continued onwards to collide with the derailed coal carriages, injuring eight people. The cause was found to be a breakdown in communication between train and signalling staff.

efton Junction derailment, 2007

In the early hours of the morning of 17th January 2007, two diesel locomotives hauling a Melbourne to Brisbane freight train derailed at Sefton junction in the western suburbs of Sydney. Diesel fuel was spilt from the leading locomotive.cite web| work=Sydney Morning Herald, 17 January 2007| title=Fuel spill after Sydney train derailment| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fuel-spill-after-sydney-train-derailment/2007/01/17/1168709790574.html| accessdate=17 January | accessyear=2007] . Following the derailment, the accident crane used to lift the leading locomotive (a QRNational CLP class), toppled over onto a worker, who was hospitalised.

Notes and References