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contributing factors included the structure of the bridge itself. When built, the base of its deck was found to be one metre lower than the road. Concrete was added on top to build the surface up level with the road. This additional weight significantly added to the destruction of the wooden train carriages. The disaster prompted substantial increases in rail-maintenance expenditure. The train driver, Edward
Olencewicz, was exonerated by the inquiry.
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bridge. The rear half of the third carriage, and forward half of the fourth carriage, came to rest under the weakened bridge, whose weight was estimated at 570 tonnes (560 long tons; 630 short tons). Within seconds, with all its supports demolished, the bridge and several motor cars on top of it collapsed on top of the carriages, crushing them and the passengers inside.
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Families and friends of the victims and survivors gather with surviving members of the rescue crews annually. The ceremony ends with the throwing of 84 roses on to the tracks to mark the number of passengers killed. In 2007, a plaque was placed on the bridge to mark the efforts of railway workers who
240:
Of the total number of passengers travelling in the third and fourth carriages, half were killed instantly when the bridge fell on them, crushing them in their seats. Several injured passengers were trapped in the train for hours after the accident, with part of the bridge crushing a limb or torso.
261:
The train driver, the assistant crewman, the "second man", and the motorists including one motorcyclist driving on the fallen bridge all survived. The operation lasted from 8:12 a.m. Tuesday until 6:00 a.m. Thursday. Ultimately, 84 people were killed in the accident, including an unborn
228:
The derailed engine and first two carriages passed the bridge. The first carriage, which broke free from the other carriages, was torn open when it collided with a severed mast beside the track, killing eight passengers. The remaining carriages came to a halt with the second carriage clear of the
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soon after the weight was removed from their bodies. This resulted in changes to rescue procedures for these kinds of accidents. Rescuers also faced greater difficulties as the weight of the bridge was still crushing the affected carriages, reducing the space in which they had to work to get
281:
The original inquiry into the accident found that the primary cause of the crash was "the very unsatisfactory condition of the permanent way", being the poor fastening of the track, causing the track to spread and allowing the left front wheel of the locomotive to come off the rail. Other
253:
Another danger came from gas; LPG cylinders were kept year-round on board the train to be used in winter for heating. Several people were overcome by gas leaking from ruptured cylinders. The leaking gas also prevented the immediate use of powered rescue tools. The
309:
The original group, known as 'the trust', made submissions on rail safety issues, including recommending that fines for safety breaches be dedicated to rail safety improvements, and campaigning for the establishment of an independent railway safety
246:
survivors out, until it was declared that no one was allowed to attempt further entry until the bridge had been lifted. Soon after, the bridge settled a further 5 centimetres (2 in) onto the train, trapping two rescuers and crushing a
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187:, running into the supports of a road bridge that collapsed onto two of the train's passenger carriages. The official inquiry found the primary cause of the crash to be poor fastening of the track.
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It remains the worst rail disaster in
Australian history; 83 people died and 213 were injured. An 84th victim, an unborn child, was added to the fatality list in 2017.
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provided ventilation equipment to dispel the gas and a constant film of water was sprayed over the accident site to prevent the possibility of the gas igniting.
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Revisiting the
Granville Train Disaster of 1977: A Re-examination of the Original Reports & Factual Data which was Never Been Questioned for Over 35 Years
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The bridge was rebuilt as a single span without any intermediate support piers. Other bridges similar to the destroyed bridge had their piers reinforced.
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829:"Formal Investigation of an Accident on or about the Up Main Western Railway Line at Granville on 18th January 1977 – Summary of findings"
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and struck one of the steel-and-concrete pillars supporting the bridge carrying Bold Street over the railway cutting.
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601:"Formal Investigation of an Accident on or about the Up Main Western Railway Line at Granville on 18th January 1977"
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Documentary on the
Granville Train Disaster featuring Rescuer Gary Raymond & Survivor Paul Touzell
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627:"Granville: Mixed response as NSW Government apologises for Australia's worst train disaster"
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The train involved in the disaster consisted of eight passenger carriages hauled by
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indicates railway accidents and incidents resulting in at least 20 fatalities
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339:– a 2011 book by B. J. Gobbe, an emergency worker who attended the incident.
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The way it is: Brian
Henderson back for TV doco | The Sydney Morning Herald
346:, produced by Graham McNeice from Shadow Productions was aired in 2012 on
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443:"Unborn child victim remembered at Granville memorial after 40 years"
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at 6:09 a.m. At approximately 8:10 a.m. it was approaching
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Some had been conscious and lucid, talking to rescuers, but died of
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513:"Medical Review Seminar Lidcombe Hospital −15 February 1977"
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apologised to the victims of the disaster, in
Parliament House.
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515:. Granville Historical Society. 24 October 2007. Archived from
236:
Memorial plaque commemorating the disaster at
Granville station
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indicates the deadliest railway accident in
Australian history
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651:. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 January 2007
698:. National Nine News. 16 January 2007. Archived from
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1272:Railway accidents and incidents in New South Wales
750:The Granville Train Disaster: 35 Years of Memories
337:The Granville Train Disaster: 35 Years of Memories
629:. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 May 2017
492:"Danger Ahead! Granville, Sydney, Australia (2)"
358:Revisiting the Granville Train Disaster of 1977
306:assisted in rescuing survivors from the train.
985:
895:
776:– 12 December 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2023
88:19.06 km (11.84 mi) WNW from Sydney
8:
1001:Railway accidents and incidents in Australia
836:Granville Train Disaster Historians Web page
205:4620, and had commenced its journey towards
183:, Australia, when a crowded commuter train
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978:
970:
902:
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817:Danger Ahead! Granville, Sydney, Australia
417:"The rail disaster that changed Australia"
333:, was produced in 1998 about the accident.
301:The Granville Train Disaster Memorial Wall
40:
31:
696:"Waterfall disaster fine low: opposition"
486:
484:
482:
408:
285:On 4 May 2017, New South Wales Premier
171:occurred on Tuesday 18 January 1977 at
565:"True story of courage and compassion"
722:"Rail safety election vow by Brogden"
668:
666:
545:from the original on 11 December 2021
7:
1287:Bridge disasters caused by collision
392:Railway accidents in New South Wales
350:about the accident, and narrated by
587:"A BRIDGE TOO FAR… DOWN – BIKE ME!"
27:1977 train derailment in Australia
25:
831:. NSW State Records. 11 May 1977.
1297:January 1977 events in Australia
955:
950:
792:. Barry James & Associates.
49:
457:"Granville Rail/Train Disaster"
649:"Granville victims remembered"
1:
1282:Bridge disasters in Australia
676:. WSFM 101.7. 18 January 2018
360:– a 2017 book by B. J. Gobbe.
348:The History Channel Australia
1312:1977 disasters in Australia
115:Public Transport Commission
1328:
1307:Granville, New South Wales
342:A television documentary,
18:Granville railway disaster
1277:Railway accidents in 1977
1239:
1007:
945:
910:Railway accidents in 1977
726:The Sydney Morning Herald
219:Granville railway station
48:
39:
1267:Derailments in Australia
786:Gobbe, Barry J. (2017).
747:Gobbe, Barry J. (2011).
541:. Film Australia. 1977.
674:"Granville 41 years on"
397:Lists of rail accidents
169:Granville rail disaster
35:Granville rail disaster
936:Chicago, United States
841:24 August 2019 at the
605:www.records.nsw.gov.au
386:Eschede train disaster
302:
278:
277:The replacement bridge
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175:, a western suburb of
132:Poor track maintenance
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276:
235:
866:33.8316°S 151.0102°E
330:The Day of the Roses
221:when the locomotive
1292:Disasters in Sydney
862: /
519:on 27 December 2003
380:Lewisham rail crash
203:electric locomotive
1017:Northern Territory
871:-33.8316; 151.0102
753:. Barry J. Gobbe.
607:. 22 December 2018
589:. 2 November 2006.
366:You Can't Ask That
303:
287:Gladys Berejiklian
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248:portable generator
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153:83 (84 as of 2017)
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1042:Western Australia
967:
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930:Sydney, Australia
923:Location and date
799:978-1-876870-83-6
760:978-0-646-55923-0
728:. 18 January 2003
567:. 17 January 2013
461:Granville History
423:. 17 January 2017
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932:(18 January)
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730:. Retrieved
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700:the original
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29:
1220:(June 2007)
1129:Violet Town
869: /
857:151°00′37″E
571:30 December
539:"Granville"
497:30 December
1261:Categories
1232:(Feb 2020)
1226:(Jan 2013)
1214:(Nov 2004)
1208:(Feb 2003)
1202:(Jan 2003)
1196:(Jan 2001)
1179:(Dec 1999)
1173:(Aug 1999)
1167:(Oct 1997)
1165:Beresfield
1161:(Jan 1996)
1159:Hines Hill
1155:(May 1990)
1149:(Jul 1982)
1137:(Jan 1977)
1131:(Feb 1969)
1125:(Aug 1963)
1119:(Feb 1960)
1113:(Dec 1953)
1107:(Jul 1950)
1101:(May 1947)
1092:(Sep 1926)
1086:(Mar 1914)
1077:(Apr 1908)
1060:(Jan 1885)
1022:Queensland
854:33°49′54″S
732:18 January
706:10 January
680:10 January
655:10 January
549:28 October
427:26 January
403:References
137:Statistics
124:Derailment
1224:Cleveland
1206:Melbourne
1200:Waterfall
1177:Glenbrook
1135:Granville
1105:Roseville
633:1 January
388:(Germany)
344:The Train
325:docudrama
312:ombudsman
266:Aftermath
173:Granville
96:Australia
77:Granville
1194:Gerogery
1111:Sydenham
1075:Sunshine
1037:Victoria
1032:Tasmania
839:Archived
543:Archived
523:20 March
421:BBC News
374:See also
293:Memorial
223:derailed
200:46 class
194:Disaster
185:derailed
111:Operator
73:Location
1171:Zanthus
1090:Murulla
912: (
611:16 June
262:child.
213:in the
158:Injured
93:Country
58:Details
1230:Wallan
1218:Kerang
1212:Cairns
1123:Geurie
1084:Exeter
796:
757:
363:ABC's
207:Sydney
177:Sydney
150:Deaths
142:Trains
81:Sydney
1153:Cowan
471:6 May
318:Media
209:from
129:Cause
68:08:10
961:1978
948:1976
914:1977
794:ISBN
755:ISBN
734:2023
708:2008
682:2008
657:2008
635:2024
613:2019
573:2016
551:2017
525:2008
499:2016
473:2016
429:2020
167:The
101:Line
63:Date
161:213
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603:.
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354:.
145:1
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
