There have been a number of train accidents on the railway network of Victoria, Australia. Some of these are listed below:
On 30 August, 1881, the first accident attended by passenger deaths and multiple injuries in Victoria occurred. Four passengers were killed, and about 40 Injured when the tyre of one of the wheels of the Brighton express (8:54 AM train from Jolimont to Flinders Street Station) broke, and caused the derailment of five carriages near the Jolimont station. The first car to leave the rails, the fourth In a train of nine, was dragged along the metal for some distance, when the couplings broke, and It fell over an embankment about 3ft high, into swampy ground. The carriage stopping dead, with l of the couplings still attached to those behind,the remainder of the train was suddenly checked, the momentum of the fifth and sixth carriages causing them to shoot upwards, and then fall in the same direction. Iho first carriage that had fallen was completely crushed beneath the one to which It had been coupled. The remainder of the carriages were brought to a standstill, and the seventh and eighth left the rail, though they did not fall. There were about 120 passengers in the three carriages that toppled over the embankment. [1] [2]
On the evening of December 2, 1882, one passenger was killed, and 178 were injured on the Hawthorn line, a collision occurred between a special train, which had been engaged to convey intending purchasers of land to the sale of the Box Hill estate, and the ordinary train from Melbourne to Camberwell. The disaster happened about 100 yards from a small wayside station called Picnic, between East Richmond and Hawthorn. The drivers knew nothing of tho Impending catastrophe until they got within two or three hundred yards of each other, and, as both trains were travelling at a fair rate of speed, the distance was too short to enable them to avoid a collision. Tho drivers stuck to their loco- motives until they were just within a few feet of each other, when they jumped off. The buffers of the engines snapped, and the front of the engine attached to the train from Melbourne was smashed in right up to the funnel. Two carriages in each train were telescoped, [3]
On 2 December, 1892 seven people were killed in a head-on collision between two trains. [4]
in 1884 at Little River, two enginemen and one passenger were killed and 486 persons injured when two trains crashed into ono another hoad on. The accident came about through a station-master leaving his little girl in charge, and she gave a "staff" to a train, and enabled it to proceed, whereas she should have held it until the train coming in the opposite direction had arrived. [5]
Next to the Sunshine disaster, the most serious raliway accident in Victoria was tho ono which occurred near tho Windsor station on May 11, 1887. In this case the 5.20 p.m. ordinary down train had come to a stand-still between the distance and home signals outside the Windsor station, owing to the hosepipe of the steam brake snapping. The guard had just gol down to examine the gear, when the Brighton express ran through the Prahran 1 station and dashed into the stationary train. The driver of the express could not seo the ordinary train more than a train's length ahead, owing to the bend, which was just beyond the High-street Bridge. The crash was only seen to be inevitable just before it occurred. Some of the passengers escaped by jumping out of the stationary train in the nick of time, but others, having less warning, kept their seats. The advancing engine cut into the guard's van of the ordinary train, and three of the carriages wore smashed to pieces. The driver had only timo to put on the steam brake, which materially checked the speed of the express, before he (the driver) and the fireman wera killed. Four of the passengers of the ordinary train were also killed and 247 peoplo were injured more or less seriously. [6]
There are a number of other secondary references to this incident with varying accounts of the number killed: On 11 May, 1887 On the evening of 11 May 1887, an express train crashed into the rear of a passenger train between Prahran Station and Windsor Station. Four people were killed and over 100 severely injured. The locomotive of the passenger train stopped to await a semaphore signal that indicated the line ahead was clear. When the signal was given, the driver found he could not release the brake on the locomotive due to a ruptured steam pipe. An express train from Melbourne was scheduled 10 minutes behind the passenger train, and due to a curve in the track and high embankments had no way of knowing the train ahead was stranded. Cooper (1924) reported that the noise of the impact could be heard throughout Prahran, and that in a short time over 10,000 people were gathered at the site. . Another reference claims six people were killed when two trains collide. [7]. A further refernce provides the following report: The evening'5.40 express train from Melbourne to Windsor, and the 5.30 p.m. ordinary train came into collision near the Windsor station. Three passengers were killed and several hurt. The accident arose through the neglect of the regulations under the blocking system ; but on whose shoulders the blame rests will only be definitely known after the official inquiry. The disaster occurred through the express overtaking the ordinary train, which became disabled owing to the continuous brake getting out of order. The express instead of being stopped by a danger signal, sped on and telescoped the rear of the ordinary train. Whether danger signals were set, or, if exhibited, were disregarded by the engine-driver of the express, is not known. Information already gleaned points to the conclusion that two errors were committed ; one in connection with the semaphore signals, and another by the engine-driver who was killed, together with his fireman. A lady whose name is unknown is not expected to recover. About thirty passengers, more or less, are injured.
On 4 October, 1907 the two crew of a Down goods train to Tooborac died from shocking injuries sustained after their locomative derailed and rolled over near Moranding on the Wallan to Bendigo line. [8]
On 20 April 1908 a train packed with holidaymakers returning to Melbourne from Ballarat was struck by another train coming from Bendigo. Forty-four people were killed and 413 injured.[9] (Sunshine rail disaster)
On 18 July 1910, the Brighton and Elsternwick trains collided in heavy fog at Richmond, killing nine. [10]
On 5 February, 1910 three people were killed. [11] The accident was caused by brake failure.[12]
THE BEAUFORT BOLT: The 11.30 up goods train from Stawell, composed of 35 trucks, drawn by two powerful engines, was descending a steep incline about threo miles long near Beaufort, when It got beyond the control of the drivers. A goods engine was standing in Beaufort station as the up train approached, and the signalman, seeing that something was wrong, turned the oncoming train Into a dead end. The bolting train struck the end with terrific force. The load- ing engine was derailed, and thrown along- side the line, while its tender was left in an almost perpendicular position. Tho second engine nnd its tender wore jammed together In the form of a V. The driver of the first engine and the fireman of the second were killed outright, and the other driver and fireman seriously injured. The latter died before ho was extricated from the position in which he was Jammed beneath his engine. [13]
Two people were killed.[14]
18 July, 1913 14 people were killed.[15]
On 23 may, 1925 eight people were killed. [16]
On 26 May, 1926 three people were killed.[17]
Three fatalities [18] May in fact be same as the 1925 accident.
On 8 May 1943, a bus carrying Australian Army personnel from Bonegilla to Albury for a Saturday night recreation leave was hit by Steam locomotive A2 863 at the level crossing on the Tallangatta Road to Wodonga. The driver, twenty-three servicemen and a member of the Australian Army Medical Womens Service (AAMWS) were killed. Nine other service people were injured.[19]
On 7 September 1951, a Westbound Overland interstate express train was involved in a head-on collision with an Eastbound Overland at Serviceton. The fireman on the westbound express was killed.[20]
On 24 February, 1951 11 people were killed when a tourist bus and a train collided.[21]
On 1 June, 1952 thirteen people were killed and nearly twenty injured. at Boronia level crossing.An electric train sliced through a bus carrying more than 30 members of a Church of Christ social group.[22]
On 13 April, 1952 A woman was killed and seven persons were seriously injured when two passenger trains collided. Both engines were derailed, and the first carriage of the Gee long-bound train was telescoped by the coal tender.[23]
On 1 May 1956 a level crossing collision with a train caused 2 deaths and wrecked a utility.[24]
On 7 February 1969, a Southbound Southern Aurora passenger train was involved in head-on collision with a northbound freight train near Violet Town. Nine people were killed. (Violet Town railway disaster)
On 8 February 1971 one man was killed and 15 injured in a collision between a gravel truck an a two-carriage passenger train. [25]
One person was killed. [26]
In October 2002 a B-Double semi trailer collided with a heritage steam train at Benalla. Three people were killed and a fourth received severe burns when the locomotive rolled onto its side.[27][28][29] The driver of the truck was charged but later acquitted of culpable driving.
On 5 August, 2004 three people were killed at a level crossing. The accident was reportedly around 6:15, and involved was train 8002, the 5:20 from Kyneton, and a car, which was stuck on the tracks. Sadly, the three people inside the car died.[30]
At approximately 1213 Eastern Standard Time on 11 August 2005, a small motor vehicle drove into the path of a Pacific National locomotive, G535, on the Edith Street level crossing at Horsham in Victoria. The crossing is protected by flashing lights a bell, approach warning signs and road markings. The driver of the motor vehicle was fatally injured as a result of the collision.[31]
At 1653 on Wednesday 15 November 2006, a north-east bound tip truck towing a tri-axle trailer drove into the path of south-east bound passenger train 4AM8, The Overland, at the BarpinbaPoorneet Road level crossing, near Wingeel in southern Victoria. As a consequence of the collision the driver of the truck was fatally injured. [32]
On 28 April 2006 a V/Line VLocity high-speed train is derailed when struck by an 18 wheeler truck, killing 2 and injuring 28 on the Ballarat to Ararat line [33] [34]
he Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found that heavy fog and the inappropriate speed of a truck in the conditions were the main contributors to a collision with a freight train at the Lismore Skipton Road level crossing at Lismore, Victoria on 25 May 2006. The 34 year old driver of the truck was fatally injured in the accident which closed the main Adelaide to Melbourne rail line for a period of six days.[35]
In 2007 one person was killed at a level crossing smash.
On 5 June 2007: A semi-trailer truck collided at a level crossing southbound V/Line passenger train north of the town of Kerang, killing 11 on board the train.[36] (2007 Kerang train crash)
On 18 Novemner, 2008 one person was killed in level crossing accident.[37]
On the 5th October, 2011 a man has been killed after his car collided with a freight train. The collision happened at a rail crossing near the entrance to the Pine Creek Mango Farm, about 200 kilometres south of Darwin. The accident happened at a crossing that has no lights.[38]
On 14 July 1897 'R' Class locomotive No.341 derailed on the Yarrawonga to Benalla line in northern Victoria. One passenger was taken to hospital with 'severe shock'. [39]
On 3 July 1899, a 'Mixed' train was derailed. Only one of the twenty passengers on board complained of any injury.[40]
On 11 February 1908 a locomotive overshot a dead-end siding, demolished buffer stops and plunged down an embankment. The fireman was pinned beneath the loco (he suffered several ugly cuts and bruises). [41]
On 19 August 1909 an accident occurred on the bridge at Dunbach between Clunes and Talbort on the Maryborough line. Floowater had undermined the bridge and a mixed train was derailed. One female passenger was injured. [42]
On 3 February 1910 an Ararat engine driver had a miraculous brush with death, believed to have been caused by a loose dog spike. The driver was injured. [43]
On 26 September 1911 there was an accident at Harvey's Gulley on the Tallarook-Mansfield line A mixed train was derailed on the bridge and the wagons and carriages tumbled into the creek. Sixteen people were injured. [44]
On 23 June 1917 fifteen passengers where injured when a Camberwell train smahed into the rear portion of a Kew-bound train. [45]
On 24 May 1921 thick fog resulted in two goods trains colliding after the brakes failed on one of the trains. The crew of the trains were injured. [46]
On 24 December 1928 54 passengers aboard a Korumburra-bound train where injured when the engine of the train clipped the tender of a goods train that had been inadvertently directed across a set of points onto the main line. [47]
On 30 May 1938 there was a head-on collision between a passenger train and a goods train near Geelong. Some passengers sustained superficial injuries. [48]
On 20 November 1989, two Commuter city bound trains collided at Syndal Station when one stationary train which had stopped and delayed due to door faults, was hit from behind by a second train which had stopped at a prior signal, but then continued onwards. 37 people were injured, there were no fatalities.[49]
On the 16 November 2003 more than 60 people were injured when a Ballarat-bound train was derailed after colliding with a car that had been deliberately left on the track.[50]
On 29 June, 2007 two people were injured in a level crossing smash.[51]
On 4th May 2010 a Metro train collided with an Apex quarry freighter (operated by Pacific National) stopped at a signal south of Craigieburn railway station. 5 people were injured, with 3 having serious injuries.[52]
On 1 November 2011 a man was hit by a train an injured at the railway station. Police believe the man was crossing the line between the two platforms when he was struck by an in-bound train.[53]
On 4 October 1904, mischievous children put in motion a railway engine that the crew had left unattended to go for a drink at a nearby hotel. The train was derialed. The children had jumped from the moving train.[54]
On 24 November 1917 passengers aboard a Mixed train from Maryborough escaped injury after the train collided with a goods train head-on at Donald in the early hours of the morning. [55]
On 26 September 1945 one engine crashed into the side of another in the Sericetown yard. [56]
On 31 May the rear of a stooped goods train was rammed by by a fast paper train. [57].
Up to 31 May, 1952 there had been ten rail accidents in Victoria in the previous nine months.[58] There is a lesser number identified on this list.
On 11 October 1979 a wheat train was derailed. [59]
On 13 January 1987 the second carriage of a train derailed and struck a pillar and another power line. [60]
On 31 March 2000, there was a derailment of a Hitachi train at Richmond station.
On 26 July 2000, an empty city-bound suburban train crashes into a stationary train at Homesglen Station.
On 5 June 2001, two suburban trains collided at Footscray Station.[61]
On 18 June 2002, two Connex suburban trains crashed head-on at Epping railway station, Melbourne when a driver, incapacitated by a migraine, went through a stop signal.[62]
On 3 February 2003, a runaway M>Train operated Comeng suburban train travelled the length of the Broadmeadows line before smashing into a stationary V/Line train at Spencer Street Station.[63]
On 16 March 2003 a Sydney to Melbourne standard gauge freight train derailed at Chiltern, fouling the adjacent broad gauge line. Due to poor communication between train control centres, a V/Line service was not warned in enough time and struck the wreckage, with no serious injuries.[64]
On 12 November 2003 a stationary Bendigo-bound V/Line "Sprinter" train is hit by another V/Line train at Spencer Street.
At about 1515 on 30 January 2009, northbound freight train 6MB2, owned and operated by Pacific National, derailed near the beginning of a left-hand curve located near the 8.915 track km point in Tottenham, Victoria. In total, 8 wagons derailed and about 400 m of timber sleepered track was damaged. Damage to rolling stock was minimal and there were no injuries as a result of the occurrence.[65]
At approximately 2030 on 31 July 2008, freight train 5WX2 derailed near Winton, Vic. (between Glenrowan and Benalla). The derailment occurred about 10 track km north of Benalla. Thirteen freight wagons were derailed but there were no injuries.[66]
At approximately 0710 on 23 October 2010, 15 wagons on freight train 3PW4 derailed near Wodonga, Victoria. There were no injuries but serious damage to rolling-stock and rail track (including a bridge structure) was sustained during the derailment.[67]
On 26 November 2011 V/Line train services between Wodonga and Melbourne were cancelled because of a derailment near Melbourne. The Melbourne to Albury train, that was carrying more than 100 passengers, derailed at Footscray. The engine and two carriages came off the track.[68]