This caused 4620 to derail completely and topple onto its righthand side. Granville train disaster support group home facebook. The bridge collapsed onto the train killing 83 of the passengers and injuring more than 200 others. Granville train disaster 1977 page 2 new south wales. By midnight, 21 bodies had been freed from the mangled carriages crushed when a 300 tonne section of a bridge collapsed.
Granville rail disaster wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. The 32nd anniversary of the granville train disaster. The granville railtrain disaster occurred on tuesday 18 january 1977 at granville, new south. A young paul makin now a south australiabased tv and radio journalist arrived at the scene soon after. The granville rail train disaster occurred on tuesday 18 january 1977 at granville, new south wales, a western suburb of sydney, when a crowded commuter train derailed, running into the supports of a road bridge that collapsed onto two of the train s passenger carriages. The heavy concrete bridge collapsed and flattened two carriages, killing 83 people and injuring another 210. The archival collection used for this research is the trove newspapers 19261995. Normal text size larger text size very large text size. Trapped train driver rescued from train after it caught. On january 18, 1977 a crowded commuter train derailed at granville in sydneys west, ploughing into the support beams of a road bridge which then collapsed onto two of the trains passenger. The bridge was rebuilt as a single span without any intermediate. Although the driver immediately applied the train brake in an emergency application, the locomotive travelled in a derailed state until reaching a set of facing points. Granville train disaster 1977 page 1 new south wales. Trapped train driver rescued from train after it caught fire in sydney emergency services were called to the train which stopped between granville and.
It was the worst rail disaster in australian history. Those who received the medallion hold them in high esteem. Granville train disaster railway disaster sites on. Our grateful thanks to the historical society and others who assisted on the day including fr. From what i understand, the official verdict for the cause of the accident was primarily due to poor standards of track maintenance. The memorial was refurbished in december 2016 january 2017 and corrected the spelling of some of the names. Granville disaster 1977 tuesday 18 january 1977 started as an ordinary working day in sydney, australia.
The dramatized truestory of the granville train disaster in jan 1977 and the subsequent inquiry. A garden commemorates those who died or were injured in the granville railway disaster of 1977. On 31 january 2003, a four car tangara passenger train g7 on run from sydney central railway station to port kembla derailed about 2 kilometres south of waterfall railway station. The train driver, edward olencewicz, was exonerated by the inquiry. This waymark is in front of the memorial established for the victims of the granville train disaster which occurred on the 18th january 1977. Jan 17, 2017 each year since the granville disaster, survivors, rescuers and loved ones of those killed gather on the bold street bridge on january 18 for a memorial service, dropping 83 roses to remember. A survivor of the 1977 granville train disaster speaks of her bond with her rescuer, the man who she says could feel my pulse when everything.
The driver of the locomotive now deceased did not resume work after the crash. It was a morning much like any tuesday in new south wales until disaster struck a packed eightcar commuter train from mount victoria in the blue mountains as it approached the suburb of granville, 22 km 14 mi west of sydney in january 1977. Crash simulation of the waterfall train disaster finite. This is the first time i have opened up publicly to speak of my experiences of that fateful day some 30 years ago which is now known and referred to nationally and internationally as the granville train disaster. The garden contains a black granite memorial which lists the names of those who lost their lives. The disaster prompted substantial increases in railmaintenance expenditure. The granville rail disaster occurred on 18 january 1977 in the sydney suburb of granville, australia, when a crowded commuter train travelling from the blue mountains to sydney central derailed, running into the supports of a road bridge which came down onto two of its passenger carriages. Could any of your members help me with some research i am doing into the granville train disaster in 1977.
The granville rail disaster occurred on tuesday 18 january 1977 at granville, new south wales, a western suburb of sydney when a crowded commuter train derailed, running into the supports of a road bridge that collapsed onto two of the train s passenger carriages. At 10am a plaque will be unveiled on the granville station concourse by the deputy premier and minister for transport, the honourable john watkins in the presence of distinguished guests. Railway accident at granville, sydney, australia 1977. Granville train disaster 1977 devastating disasters. Australias worst rail disaster took only seconds to happen but was a decade or more in the making.
With cormac costello, stephen curry, helen dallimore, gigi edgley. On the 21st june 1887, an excursion train from sydney ran out of control down the steep cowan bank. For some time after the accident, the driver and his wife were subjected to abusive phone calls blaming him for the disaster. Feb 01, 2012 in 1977 australia experienced its worst ever train disaster when a commuter train veered off the tracks and smashed into a bridge in granville, sydney, killing 83 people. Father les campion oam holy trinity catholic church granville. The sydney morning herald from sydney, new south wales.
An inquiry exonerated the trains driver, finding the accident was caused by poorly maintained tracks. The train driver, second man, and the motorists driving on the fallen bridge all survived. From a personal perspective the granville rail disaster will forever be seared into my memory and should never be forgotten. What i know about the granville train disaster insight blogs. Thirty years on, one of the rescuers on the scene at the granville train disaster reflects on his faith and his own need for a rescuer. The granville train disaster support group provides empathic emotional support to persons affected by the 1977 granville tragedy via the fellowship. There has been some publicity of hostility directed towards the driver, but on the. The granville rail disaster occurred on 18 january 1977 at granville, a suburb in western sydney, australia, when a crowded commuter train derailed, running into the supports of a road bridge that collapsed onto two of the train s passenger carriages. The train driver, the assistant crewman, the second man, and the motorists driving on the fallen bridge all survived. Fortyone years ago 83 people were killed and another 2 injured when a nsw commuter train derailed and struck the bold st bridge near granville railway station, just after 8am, in what remains.
Jan 14, 2017 in an exclusive interview with abc news in the leadup to the 40th anniversary of the granville train disaster on january 18, transport minister andrew constance said. Eightythree people died and another 2 were injured when a commuter train derailed near granville railway station and a bridge collapsed. Granville train disaster survivors 40year friendship with her rescuer. Jan 17, 2020 on january 18, 1977 a crowded commuter train derailed at granville in sydneys west, ploughing into the support beams of a road bridge which then collapsed onto two of the train s passenger. The granville rail disaster occurred 41 years ago on tuesday 18 january, 1977. Sep 30, 2014 trapped train driver rescued from train after it caught fire in sydney emergency services were called to the train which stopped between granville and merrylands stations, in western sydney, at 7. Granville train disaster memorial fire and rescue nsw. The granville rail disaster occurred on 18 january 1977 at granville, a suburb in western sydney, the state capital of new south wales, australia, when a crowded commuter train derailed, running into the supports of a road bridge which came down onto two of its passenger carriages.
Rescuers worked though the night in a desperate search for more survivors from australias worst rail disaster. Dec 14, 20 the 32nd anniversary of the granville train disaster. It is the deadliest rail disaster in australian history. For me though personally it is more, the reason for which i would like to share with you. Today marks the 40 th anniversary of australias worst rail disaster, the day in 1977 when a morning train derailed near granville station, in western sydney, demolishing a nearby bridge which. Granville, the site of the worst railway disaster in australian history is my destination today. Feeling nervous, because not too long ago, bodies were found in the nearby duck river, i step off the train at clyde station. The disaster prompted substantial increases in rail maintenance expenditure.
The train driver and six passengers were killed and many passengers suffered serious injuries. Each year since the granville disaster, survivors, rescuers and loved ones of those killed gather on the bold street bridge on january 18 for a memorial service, dropping 83 roses to remember. A bridge has collapsed on top of a train at granville. And, i am not sure how locals will take to a woman with a camera. A plaque commemorates those who died or were injured in the granville railway disaster of 1977, and the rescue personnel. The sydney morning herald from sydney, new south wales, australia page 3. John mp hennessey oam instigator of the granville train disaster memorial trust. Fortyone years ago 83 people were killed and another 2 injured when a nsw commuter train derailed and struck the bold street bridge.
Trapped train driver rescued from train after it caught fire. Granville train disaster memorial garden monument australia. At the time i was a nsw ambulance officer stationed at auburn ambulance station. It is the type of docudrama that australia absolutely excels in. A royal commission later exonerated the driver from blame, as evidenced by the hasler tape recording instrument in the locomotive which showed the speed of the train to be below the mandatory speed for that section of track. The nsw government struck 277 medallions which were issued in recognition of outstanding service to those involved in the rescue effort. Family and friends of a truck driver killed in a collision with a freight train in regional sa pay tribute to the popular grandfather, but are upset many locals will be unable to attend the funeral. In an exclusive interview with abc news in the leadup to the 40th anniversary of the granville train disaster on january 18, transport minister. Some 100 metres before granville station, the bold street bridge spanned. There were two other trains full of holidaymakers standing at the platforms at hawkesbury river railway station and disaster was only averted by the alert station master who could hear the roaring engine and frantic whistling. Neither the driver nor the secondman were seriously injured.
The granville train crash on january 18, 1977, claimed 83 lives and injured 2 others. Granville train disaster support group posts facebook. Ted olencewicz, the driver, had done his best to save the day. Jan 18, 2017 granville train disaster memories 40 years on. For 39 years, the people of the disaster had little to say until the granville train disaster association inc. The accident itself occurred about 70m from the memorial. Police fear about 80 people died in the granville train disaster yesterday. The train smashed into a bridge, which collapsed on two carriages. Patricks college strathfield i would catch a train on the northern line from denistone and commute to strathfield. On january 18, 1977 a crowded commuter train derailed at granville in sydneys west, ploughing into the support beams of a road bridge.
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