Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors, victims families remember by matt osullivan updated january 18, 2017 9. The train crash incident which has been selected in the current essay is the granville rail disaster which is one of the worst train mishaps in the history of australia. A single rose lies above the train tracks at the site of the granville train disaster. 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 trains passenger carriages. Photos of the granville train crash from some books of the time. Eightythree people died, more than 210 were injured and 1,300 were affected. Granville train disaster survivors 40year friendship with. The worst rail disaster in australias history occurred on 18 january 1977 when a packed commuter train ran off the rails and slammed into a road overbridge at granville in sydneys west. The granville railtrain disaster occurred on tuesday 18 january 1977 at granville, new south wales, a western suburb of sydney, when a crowded commuter. See more ideas about train, sydney city and i survived. The story of the granville train disaster certainly took on new meaning reading about. The bridge collapsed and killed 83 passengers and injuring more than 232. What i know about the granville train disaster insight blogs.
Cathy and lyndy 19 and 18 years old respectively were both killed in the crash shattering junes life and leaving her with noone to help pick up the pieces. Author of 35 years of memories and the second edition retitled revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977. Feb 10, 2017 granville train disaster 40th anniversary service 2017 barry james. I have sat down not just to write, but to research and collate datastories for this book, knowing many years have passed, and many tears have fallen, just like the eightythree roses thrown from the bridge each year. The granville train disaster support group provides empathic emotional support to persons affected by the 1977 granville tragedy via the fellowship. Jan 17, 2017 image blue mountains city library image caption australias granville train disaster killed 83 people in 1977 wednesday marks 40 years since a sydney train derailed in a deadly accident.
Wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. 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. The new book reexams all the data and exposes what was not made public at the time which may have had a great bearing on the outcome of many lives. Granville train disaster 40th anniversary service 2017 youtube. After 30 years he still has vivid memories of the day. Oam for granville train disaster paramedic news local. Browse the worlds largest ebookstore and start reading today on the web, tablet, phone, or ereader.
This source contains several images of the granville train disaster from an aerial perspective. Jan 17, 2017 the locomotive that hauled 83 passengers to their death in the granville rail disaster had a defective wheel that the nsw government knew about and later covered up, according to the author of a. Jul 02, 2009 in january 2015, barry gobbe released a greatly amplified version of the 35 years of memories under the title revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977. Title, revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977. The granville rail disaster occurred on tuesday 18 january 1977 at granville, a western suburb of sydney, australia, when a crowded commuter train derailed, running into the supports of a road bridge that collapsed onto two of the trains passenger carriages. Last year, on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy, nsw premier gladys berejiklian and. In total, 83 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the disaster. The granville train disaster memoriam foundation, baulkham hills, 2012, softcover, new, 1st, 21 x 29. It shows the collapsed bridge, derailed train carriages, the emergency personnel that responded and some of the techniques they were using to rescue any survivors. Railway accident at granville, sydney, australia 1977. On january 18th, 1977, a crowded commuter train heading for sydney, derailed hitting a stanchion of the granville bridge.
Neville wran was the state premier from 1976 to 1986. 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. Jan 18, 2010 from a personal perspective the granville rail disaster will forever be seared into my memory and should never be forgotten. Stories were compiled and the book, 35 years of memories, was written and self published by barry gobbe with the financial assistance of survivors and rescuers. The heavy concrete bridge collapsed and flattened two carriages, killing 83 people and injuring another 210. Reexamining the factual data which until now has never been questioned. Raphaelthe granville train disaster, psychological needs and their management. Dec 14, 20 the 32nd anniversary of the granville train disaster. Stories were compiled and the book, 35 years of memories, was written and selfpublished by barry gobbe with the financial assistance of survivors and rescuers. The 32nd anniversary of the granville train disaster. It remains the worst rail disaster in australian history and the greatest. A reexamination of the factual data which until now, has never been questioned. Further, they concluded, the flange on the leading wheels of the locomotive had been worn down. Chilling news report from 1977 granville disaster 2gb.
Granville rail disasters 40year anniversary photos blue. Links below to articles on the premier and about the train crash. Revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977 was authored by barry gobbe and published in 2015. The archival collection used for this research is the trove newspapers 19261995. The granville train disaster still holds the dubious distinction of being the worst rail accident in australia.
On the 18th january 1977, the granville train disaster became a part of international history. On a suburban line, during morning commuter rush hour, poor track maintenance contributed to the train derailing and smashing into a pylon, causing a road bridge to collapse on several carriages. Behavioural observations on the granville train disaster and the. The incident took place in the year 1977, dated the 18 th of january. Jun 05, 2012 retired police rescue officer reflects on the granville train disaster duration. He has spent decades offering support to people affected by the disaster and has written two books, the second book, revisiting the granville. Granvilles other significant railway story is one of tragedy. On january 18, 1977, a crowded train derailed and crashed into the bold street bridge at granville. A second book was released in 2015, revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977, which included more stories and information which became available after exhaustive research after being joined by technical adviser vaughan williamson. Patricks college strathfield i would catch a train on the northern line from denistone and commute to strathfield. The granville rail disaster occurred on 18 january 1977 in the sydney suburb of granville, australia, when a crowded commuter train travelling from the. Another photo coloured one of the skeleton of the electric locomotive involved in the crash. Image blue mountains city library image caption australias granville train disaster killed 83 people in 1977 wednesday marks 40 years since a sydney train derailed in a deadly accident. The bridge collapsed onto the train killing 83 of the passengers and injuring more than 200 others.
Granville historical society, 2006 disasters 149 pages. The granville railtrain 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 trains passenger carriages. Granville train disaster support group home facebook. Feb 09, 2015 granvilles other significant railway story is one of tragedy. Tragically disaster struck junes life on january 18th 1977 in the form of the granville train disaster. A mothers grief is the tragic tale of june ollerenshaws life. Granville train disaster 4 rescue a massive team effort the canberra times act. What caused the train to derail and why is it known as one of the most devastating train crashes in australia. The morning commuter train was packed with passengers as it headed from the blue mountains to sydney central station on january 18th 1977.
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. Granville train disaster support group posts facebook. Granville train disaster railway disaster sites on. Barry j gobe was the first ambulance officer on the scene at the granville train disaster on january 18, 1977. Staterail 1990 news footage of cowan rail disaster duration. Previously, a reference to this disaster was visit link this has been subsequently changed to that of the historians website. Granville rail disaster wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. The sydneybound train had departed from mount victoria station in the blue mountains. On january 18, 1977, a crowded train derailed and crashed into the bold street bridge at.
Granville train disaster 1977 devastating disasters. As it approached the suburb of granville, the train left the rails and smashed into the pillars supporting the road bridge above. It has been dubbed the darkest day in australias railway history. The locomotive that hauled 83 passengers to their death in the granville rail disaster had a defective wheel that the nsw government knew about and later covered up, according to the author of a. Jan 18, 2017 granville train disaster emergency workers. Granville train disaster 18 january 1977 documentary andrew.
Granville rail disasters 40year anniversary photos. Dec 17, 2016 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 else was cold. Granville train disaster support group january 18, 2018 a lovely 41st memorial yesterday to pay our respects to the 84 passengers whom tragically passed away on the 18th of january, 1977 as a result of the events that occurred at granville train station at approx 0810hrs. Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors, victims. He went to the second carriage and found a seat about a third of the way down. Australias worst rail disaster took only seconds to happen but was a decade or more in the making. Granville train disaster 1977 leave a comment transport by devastating 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. Granville train disaster 18 january 1977 lists trove.