Railway accidents in Western Australia

Western Australia has had very few accidents where paying passengers have been seriously injured or killed, while railway employees have had more significant numbers. There is a comprehensive list containing the names of around 250 railway employees killed while on duty in Western Australia between 1879 and 2007 on the Rail Heritage of WA website.[1]

Fatalities

Poison Gully (Bellevue), 1904

On 1 August 1904 a goods train running from Midland Junction to Pickering Brook derailed on a washed out bridge across Poison Gully. Driver and fireman were killed. A memorial to the crew is in Midland.[2][3][4][5]

Memorial plaque for Greer and Lyons in Midland

North Fremantle, 1910

On 14 June 1910, two sisters, eight and eleven years old waited at Ferguson's crossing for the Fremantle-Perth train to pass, then stepped in front of a train coming in the opposite direction. Both were killed.[6]

Jolimont, 1914

On 20 October 1914, an elderly pedestrian was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Jolimont crossing, near Subiaco station.[7]

Maddington, 1920

On 6 May 1920 a passenger train struck a sprung cart on the Albany Highway, Maddington railway crossing, killing a woman, her 14 year-old step-daughter and six-month old daughter, and severely injuring two other children.[8][9]

Wokalup (Mornington Mills), 1920

On 6 November 1920 nine people killed in a timber train crash.[10][11]

North Fremantle, 1922

On 24 November 1922 the 4.00 pm Perth to Fremantle passenger train struck a horse drawn cart on Leighton's Crossing, cutting it in half and killing two men and the two horses.[12]

Cottesloe, 1927

On 12 November 1927, on the Napier Street level crossing, while attempting to cross in front of a Perth-bound train a motorcycle with side-car was struck by a Fremantle-bound train. The motorcycle rider was killed. Two infants riding in the sidecar were thrown clear, incurring only abrasions.[13]

Midvale, 1928

On 28 April 1928, the Midland Railway Geraldton to Perth passenger train struck a car on the Boundary Road (now Morrison Road) level crossing at Midvale, killing the driver and his wife.[14]

Korrelocking (Wyalkatchem), 1928

On 21 August 1928 a mixed train from Merredin derailed near Korrelocking, four miles before Wyalkatchem. One passenger died and seven were injured.[15]

Queens Park, 1952

On 2 August 1952, a Perth-bound locomotive hauling a rake of 40 coal wagons pulling out from Queen's Park station struck a truck on the level crossing, killing a female passenger in the truck.[16]

Hines Hill, 1996

On 14 January 1996 two people killed in AN10 collision at Hines Hill. One was the driver. The other was a young boy.

Accidents with injuries only

Mosman Park, 1930

On 16 April 1930 the Fremantle-Perth passenger train struck a motor vehicle on the Victoria Street crossing (Victoria Street station was not established until 1954). Three of the four car passengers were injured. The locomotive's water-tank was damaged in the collision and the train was unable to proceed.[17]

North Fremantle, 1947

On 8 October 1947 the Fremantle-Perth passenger train, running bunker first, struck a truck on the Leighton crossing. The driver and passenger of the truck were injured.[18]

Mundijong, 1968

On 20 April 1968 two crew were injured when a two shunting engines collided with a goods train.[19]

Zanthus, 1999

Twenty people injured when the Indian Pacific hit a stationary freight train 250 km east of Kalgoorlie at Zanthus.[20]

Kalgoorlie, 2007

On 14 May 2007 a southwest-bound mineral train collided with a southeast bound motor vehicle that was traversing the Chapple Street level crossing in Kalgoorlie. The driver of the car sustained minor injuries, the train drivers were uninjured. Investigators established that the crossing flashing lights, bells and boom gates did not operate at the time of the accident.[21]

Golden Ridge, 2009

At approximately 1031 on Friday 30 January 2009, freight train 5PS6, operated by Pacific National (PN), derailed near Golden Ridge, about 43 km east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The two locomotives, the crew van and 18 wagons (including 7 multiple platform freight wagons) derailed. There were only minor injuries to the train crew as a result of the derailment. However, there was significant damage to the derailed rolling stock and about 200 m of track was destroyed.[22]

Jaurdi, 2011

At about 1308 on 28 March 2011 a collision involving freight train 7SP3 and a track mounted excavator occurred near Jaurdi. The train driver sustained a minor injury. There was moderate damage to the lead locomotive and the excavator, and minor damage to the track as a result of the incident.[23]

Guildford, 2011

On 7 November 2011 a car was hit at the Meadow Street level crossing near the Stirling Arms Hotel. The driver of the car suffered minor injuries.[24]

Haig, 2012

At about 1720 WST on 24 May 2012, two road/rail vehicles collided at Haig WA which is on the Nullarbor Plain (1330 km from Coonamia SA and about 280 km west of the WA/SA border). Initial reports indicate that a track worker was seriously injured when one road/rail vehicle was in the process of taking-off the rail track at Haig and a road/rail truck from the same maintenance crew collided with it. Another track worker was injured but not seriously.[25]

Other Accidents

Jarnadup, 1920

On 5 July 1920 a train was derailed when the track spread. Aboard the train was Prince Edward (the future King of England – King Edward). The last two carriages (the Prince was in the last carriage) toppled over a 1.5 metre embankment. The Prince was unhurt.[26]

Stewart, 2007

At about 0400 on 17 August 2007, the 48th wagon of Australian Railroad Group iron ore train 6413 derailed on a right-hand curve in a cutting 595.9 km from Perth in the Stewart to Bonnie Vale section of the Defined Interstate Rail Network in Western Australia. Thirty one wagons in total were derailed and 25 of those wagons were seriously damaged. There were no injuries. The track sustained significant damage and was closed for 4 days.[27]

Hines Hill, 2008

At about 14151 on 10 March 2008, train 6MP9 was carrying containerised general freight from Melbourne to Perth when it derailed 11 wagons near Hines Hill in Western Australia. Although there were dangerous goods on the train, they were not involved in the derailment.[28]

Loongana, 2008

At about 1655 on Tuesday 11 November 2008, freight train 2PM6 derailed on the Nullarbor Plain approximately 11 km west of Loongana in Western Australia. There were no injuries as a result of the derailment but there was significant damage to rolling stock and track.[29]

Moorine Rock, 2009

At about 15401 on 23 March 2009, freight train 7GP1 collided with a school bus after the bus drove onto, and became stuck on, an excavated section of railway track at the Nulla Nulla South Road level crossing near Moorine Rock, Western Australia. There were no injuries as a result of the collision but there was significant damage to the school bus.[30]

Goddards Siding, 2010

At about 1603 on Tuesday 28 December 2010, freight train 1MP5 derailed on the Trans Australian Railway Line approximately 240 km east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. There were no injuries as a result of the derailment but there was significant damage to rolling stock and track.[31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Railway employees killed while on duty" (PDF). Rail Heritage WA. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Pearce, Kenn (2000). Australian Railway Disasters. IPL Books. p. 32.
  3. ↑ "Western Australia - The Recent Fatal Railway Accident". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 August 1904. p. 7. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  4. ↑ Austin, Jeff.(2004) Poison Gully disaster, 1904. (Geer, George and Lyons, William J.) Westland, Aug 2004, p. 3-8
  5. ↑ "Railway Accident near Bellevue". The Swan Express. Midland Junction, WA. 6 August 1904. p. 4. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Shocking Railway Accident". Daily News. Perth, WA. 14 June 1910. p. 3. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Fatal Railway Accident". Albany Advertiser. 21 October 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Railway Crossing Tragedy - Two Killed". Kalgoorlie Miner. 7 May 1920. p. 4. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Three Lives Lost". Daily News. Perth, WA. 7 May 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  10. ↑ Note: Some web sites incorrectly suggest that Wokalup is in Queensland"TRAGIC RAILWAY SMASH. TIMBER TRAIN DERAILED.". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 11 November 1920. p. 11. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  11. ↑ "DISASTROUS RAILWAY SMASH.". Geraldton Guardian. WA: National Library of Australia. 9 November 1920. p. 3. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Railway Tragedy". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 25 November 1922. p. 9. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Week-end Accidents - Level Crossing Tragedy". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 14 November 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  14. ↑ "Level Crossing Death Double". The Swan Express. Midland Junction, WA. 4 May 1928. p. 3. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  15. ↑ "Big Railway Smash Serious Derailment at Korrelocking". The Sunday Times. Perth, WA. 26 August 1928. p. 6. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "Crossing Smash". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 4 August 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  17. ↑ "Level Crossing Smash". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 17 April 1930. p. 15. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "Spectacular Smash at Leighton Level Crossing". Kalgoorlie Miner. 9 October 1947. p. 4. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  19. ↑ Pearce, Kenn (2000). Australian Railway Disasters. IPL Books. p. 170.
  20. ↑ "Zanthus Rail Crash". Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  21. ↑ "Level crossing accident". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  22. ↑ "Derailment of train". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  23. ↑ "Collision with track mounted excavator". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  24. ↑ "Train clips car". Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  25. ↑ "Collision between tow rail/road vehicles". Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  26. ↑ Pearce, Kenn (2000). Australian Railway Disasters. IPL Books. p. 80.
  27. ↑ "Derailment of freight train". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  28. ↑ "derailment of freight train". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  29. ↑ "Derailment of train". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  30. ↑ "Level crossing collision with school bus". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  31. ↑ "Derailment". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
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