Railway accidents in Victoria
Encyclopedia
There have been a number of train accidents on the railway network
of Victoria
, Australia
. Some of these are listed below:
Rail transport in Victoria
Rail transport in Victoria, Australia, is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. Victorian lines use broad gauge, with the exception of a number of standard gauge freight and interstate lines, a few experimental narrow gauge lines, and...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Some of these are listed below:
- 4 May 2010: A MetroMetro Trains MelbourneMetro Trains Melbourne is the current franchise operator of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture led by Hong Kong based MTR Corporation together with John Holland Group and United Group Rail .Metro Trains Melbourne operates a fleet of 381...
train collided with an Apex quarry freighter (operated by Pacific NationalPacific NationalPacific National is one of Australia's largest private rail freight businesses. Originally a joint venture between Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings; it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asciano Limited following the restructure of Toll Holdings....
) stopped at a signal south of Craigieburn railway station. 5 people were injured, with 3 having serious injuries.
- 5 June 2007: A semi-trailerSemi-trailerA semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
truck collided at a level crossingLevel crossingA level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
southbound V/LineV/LineV/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
passenger train north of the town of KerangKerang, VictoriaKerang is a rural town on the Loddon River in northern Victoria in Australia. It is the commercial centre to an irrigation district based on livestock, horticulture, lucerne and grain. It is located north-west of Melbourne on the Murray Valley Highway a few kilometres north of its intersection...
, killing 11 on board the train. (2007 Kerang train crash)
- 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
- 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.
- 12 November 2003: A stationary Bendigo-bound V/Line "SprinterSprinter (Victorian train)The Sprinter is a high speed diesel railcar train manufactured by Goninan for use on interurban and semi-regional rail services in Victoria, Australia...
" train is hit by another V/Line train at Spencer Street.
- 16 March 2003: SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
standard gauge freight train derails at Chiltern, fouling the adjacent broad gauge line. Due to poor communication between train control centres, a V/LineV/LineV/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
service was not warned in enough time and struck the wreckage, with no serious injuries.
- 3 February 2003: A runaway M>Train operated Comeng suburban train travels the length of the Broadmeadows line before smashing into a stationary V/Line train at Spencer Street Station.
- 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. The driver of the truck was charged but later acquitted of culpable driving.
- 18 June 2002: Two ConnexConnex MelbourneConnex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended to 30 November 2009....
suburban trains crash head-on at Epping railway station, MelbourneEpping railway station, MelbourneEpping is a railway station in Melbourne, Australia, located in the suburb of Epping, on the Epping railway line. Classed as a Premium Station, it is in Metcard Zone 2...
when a driver, incapacitated by a migraineMigraineMigraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by moderate to severe headaches, and nausea...
, goes through a stop signal.
- 5 June 2001: Two suburban trains collide at Footscray Station.
- 26 July 2000: An empty city-bound suburban train crashes into a stationary train at Homesglen Station.
- 31 March 2000: Derailment of a Hitachi train at Richmond stationRichmond railway station, MelbourneRichmond is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Richmond. It is classed as a Premium Station and is in Metcard Zone 1.-Facilities:...
.
- 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.
- 7 February 1969: Southbound Southern AuroraSouthern AuroraThe Southern Aurora was a named express passenger train that operated between the cities of Melbourne, Victoria, and Sydney, New South Wales, in Australia. First-class throughout, including the dining facilities, the Southern Aurora featured all-sleeper accommodation...
passenger train involved in head-on collisionHead-on collisionA head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
with a northbound freight train near Violet Town. Nine people were killed. (Violet Town railway disasterViolet Town railway disasterThe Violet Town rail accident, also known as the Southern Aurora disaster, was a railway accident that occurred on 7 February 1969 near the McDiarmids Road crossing, approximately 1 km south of Violet Town, Victoria, Australia.-Overview:...
)
- 7 September 1951: Westbound Overland interstate express train involved in head-on collisionHead-on collisionA head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
with Eastbound Overland at Serviceton. The fireman on the westbound express was killed.
- 20 April 1908: 44 people killed and over 400 injured when a Melbourne-bound train from BendigoBendigo, VictoriaBendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
collided with the rear of a mail train from BallaratBallarat, VictoriaBallarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
at Sunshine railway stationSunshine railway station, MelbourneSunshine is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Sunshine, on the Sydenham railway line. It is the junction for the line west to Ballarat...
. (Sunshine train disasterSunshine train disasterThe Sunshine rail disaster occurred at the Sunshine railway station, which is the junction for the Ballarat and Bendigo railway lines, from Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia....
)