Railway accidents in Western Australia

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

North Fremantle, 1893

On 4 October 1893, Hepzibah Catchpole alighted by mistake from a Perth-bound train at North Fremantle. While attempting to reboard the moving train she lost her footing and slipped between the platform and the forward carriage of the train. She was killed instantly.[2]

Cottesloe, 1897

On 11 March 1897, Actor Mahomet, an Afghan, while crossing the line in front of a Fremantle-bound train standing in the station, was struck by the 4.45pm Perth-bound train arriving at the station.[3]

On 27 July 1897 at about 12.30am Joseph Mortland was run over by a goods train on the railway line, alongside the platform of Cottesloe station. While drunk he had lain on the track. He died on admission to hospital.[4]

Cottesloe, 1902

On 26 April 1902, Archibald Dryburg, while wandering on the track, was struck by the 11.57pm Fremantle-bound train just before it entered the station.[5]

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.[6][7][8][9]

Memorial plaque for Greer and Lyons in Midland

Mosman Park, 1908

On 6 February 1908, William Scharnhorst was killed when struck by a train on the Victoria Street crossing. He stepped from behind a Perth-bound goods train into the path of the Fremantle-bound train.[10]

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.[11]

North Fremantle, 1911

On 17 August 1911, a man was killed crossing the line between Ferguson's and Leighton's crossings. He waited for the Fremantle-bound train to pass, then stepped in front of a train coming in the opposite direction.[12]

Cottesloe, 1912

On 13 February 1912, Lawrence Nevin was struck by the 7.30am train from Perth, while watching rail works to the east of Cottesloe station.[13]

Jolimont, 1914

On 20 October 1914, an elderly pedestrian was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Jolimont crossing, near Subiaco station.[14]

Carnamah, 1917

On 20 December 1917, Alexander Neil Smith was killed & Harry Rodwell seriously injured when their rail tricycle was overrun by a special good trains north of Carnamah, on the Midland line.[15][16][17]

Cottesloe, 1919

On 3 February 1919, the 9.45 passenger train from Fremantle ran down Thomas Hayes Blake, the Cottesloe town clerk, who was riding his motor cycle over the Jarrad Street level crossing.[18]

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.[19][20]

Wokalup (Mornington Mills), 1920

On 6 November 1920, nine people were killed and two were injured in a timber train crash involving the locomotive the Jubilee, which was travelling from Mornington Mills to Wokalup.[21][22][23]

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.[24]

East Fremantle, 1924

On 7 January 1924, a man was struck and killed by a Fremantle-bound passenger train while walking on the down line of the Fremantle railway bridge.[25]

South Fremantle, 1926

On 1 June 1926, John McIntyre (65) was killed while crossing the line in South Fremantle.[26]

Cottesloe, 1926

On 13 July 1926, Joseph Johnson (40) was killed when his car was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Napier Street level crossing.[27]

Cottesloe, 1927

On 20 February 1927, on the Napier Street level crossing, Arthur Tomlin was struck and killed by a Fremantle-bound train.[28]

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.[29]

Mosman Park, 1927

On 10 May 1927 Sadie Little was killed when run over by a train near Cottesloe Beach station.[30]

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.[31]

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.[32]

North Fremantle, 1929

On 23 November 1929, Charles Crowe (69), was run over and killed by a train at the Lukin Street crossing.[33]

Cottesloe, 1933

On 12 January 1933, Georgina Stacy (53) was killed when her car was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Salvado Street level crossing.[34]

Cottesloe, 1936

On 28 March 1936, John and Elvein Brown were killed when their car was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Napier Street level crossing.[35]

Cottesloe, 1939

On 21 February 1939, George Robinson (60) and Lucas Wesley (44) were killed when their car was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Napier Street level crossing.[36]

Cottesloe, 1943

On 18 November 1943 cyclist Charles Pierre-Humbert, died after being struck by a train on the Napier Street level crossing.[37]

Cottesloe, 1945

On 4 May 1945 Adeline McCormack, died after being struck by a train on the Napier Street level crossing.[38]

Cottesloe, 1946

On 8 January 1946, Reginald Brown was killed when his utility truck was struck by a Fremantle-bound train on the Napier Street level crossing.[39]

Perth, 1950

On 20 November 1950, William Stevenson (25) died when he fell between two moving carriages of the Kalgoorlie Express at Perth station.[40]

Roelands, 1951

On 13 February 1951, driver William Wakeham was crushed to death under a load of quarry stone when the trucks telescoped as the locomotive while running bunker first jumped the rails on a curve and struck the side of a cutting. The fireman and the guard jumped before the crash and were injured. The train, which was operated by the Public Works Department, was travelling to the new Bunbury harbour works when it got out of control.[41]

Cottesloe, 1951

On 24 February 1951, Molly Smith (59) died when she threw herself in front of a Fremantle-bound passenger train on the Napier Street level crossing.[42]

Pinjarra, 1951

On 6 March 1951, Emily Woodhead (40) and Albert Woodhead (45) were killed when their car was struck by the Bunbury-bound Australind express train on the Southwest Highway level crossing.[43]

Perth, 1951

On 17 March 1951, Vera Hardy (40) was killed on the Pier Street level crossing as she stood on the southern set of railway lines waiting for an East Perth-bound train to pass. She was looking towards Perth when a Perth-bound train struck her.[44]

Meltham, 1951

On 21 May 1951, Mervyn Trueman (51) was killed when struck by a train 130 yards west of Meltham station.[45]

Bassendean, 1951

On 28 July 1951, Barney Indich was fatally injured when he fell beneath a Midland-bound train as it pulled out of Bassendean station.[46]

Shenton Park, 1951

On 11 September 1951, Myrtle Crane (20) was killed when struck by a train on the railway line between Shenton Park and Karrakatta.[47]

East Guildford, 1951

On 13 September 1951, James Redfern (63) was killed when he deliberately threw himself in front of a moving train on the East Street level crossing, East Guildford.[48]

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.[49]

Cottesloe, 1953

On 6 June 1953 William Weston (43), his wife Florence Weston (36) and their son Lindsay Weston (13), died when their car was struck by a train on the Napier Street level crossing. Two other children were injured.[50]

Hines Hill, 1996

On 14 January 1996 two people were killed when two freight trains collided at a crossing loop in Hines Hill. One of the fatalities was the driver. The other was a young boy.

Victoria Park, 1998

On 7 March 1998 an unidentified man was struck and killed by a moving train between the Burswood and Victoria Park stations.[51]

Cottesloe, 2015

On 22 July 2015, a woman was struck by a train while she was running to catch the train at Cottesloe station. She tripped or fell into its path.[52]

Jumperkine, 2019

At about 0200 (WST) on 24 December 2019, a freight train (operated by Pacific National) collided with the rear of a grain train (operated by Watco) at Jumperkine, Western Australia. The freight train locomotive cabin was substantially damaged and the driver fatally injured.

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.[53]

Cottesloe, 1935

On 16 December 1935, a truck collided with a Perth-bound train on the Napier Street level crossing. The driver received minor abrasions.[54]

Cottesloe, 1947

On 27 February 1947, a Fremantle-bound passenger train, running bunker first, struck a car on the Napier Street crossing. The driver (52) was severely injured, and died five years later.[55][56]

North Fremantle, 1947

On 8 October 1947, a Fremantle-Perth passenger train, running bunker first, struck a truck on the Leighton crossing. The driver and passenger of the truck were injured.[57]

Cottesloe, 1949

On 29 January 1949, a Fremantle-bound passenger train struck a car on the Napier Street level crossing. The driver had just waited the passage of a Perth-bound train. He received extensive injuries.[58]

Mundijong, 1968

On 20 April 1968 two crew were injured when a two shunting engines collided with a goods train.[59]

Zanthus, 1999

On 18 August 1999, 20 people were injured when the Indian Pacific hit a stationary freight train 250 km east of Kalgoorlie at Zanthus.[60]

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.[61]

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.[62]

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.[63]

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.[64]

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.[65]

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.[66]

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.[67]

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.[68]

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.[69]

Moorine Rock, 2009

At about 1501 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.[70]

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.[71]

See also
  • List of rail accidents

References
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