SYDNEY — 1977 · Major Tragedy
The Granville Rail Disaster
At about 08:10 on 18 January 1977 a crowded commuter train travelling to Sydney from Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains derailed as it approached Granville station in western Sydney. The locomotive struck the supports of the Bold Street bridge over the line, and the concrete bridge, weighing about 570 tonnes, collapsed onto two of the train's passenger carriages. Eighty-three people were killed and 213 injured. Granville remains the deadliest rail disaster in Australian history. The official inquiry found the primary cause to be poorly fastened and poorly maintained track. The disaster led to increased investment in rail maintenance in New South Wales. On its 40th anniversary in 2017 the state government formally apologised to victims and their families.
- Date
- 1977
- Place
- Granville, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney, AU
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- -33.8320, 151.0120 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 18 January 1977A commuter train derailed at Granville and struck the bridge supports.
- 18 January 1977The collapsing bridge crushed two carriages; 83 died and 213 were injured.
- 1977The official inquiry found poorly fastened track to be the primary cause.
- 4 May 2017The NSW government formally apologised to the victims.
Sources
- BBC News — Granville: The rail disaster that changed Australia bbc.com ↗
- ABC News — NSW Government apologises for Australia's worst train disaster abc.net.au ↗
- Wikipedia — Granville rail disaster en.wikipedia.org ↗
- BBC News
- ABC News (Australia)
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.