Granville disaster 1977 tuesday 18 january 1977 started as an ordinary working day in sydney, australia. The granville railway disaster, which occurred on 18 january 1977, was the worst railway accident in australia, resulting in the deaths of 83. Report on the formal investigation of an accident on or about the up main western railway line at granvi. Granville train disaster survivors 40year friendship with. Covering the granville train disaster on radio 2sm, january 1977.
The memorial was refurbished in december 2016 january 2017 and corrected the spelling of. Jan 15, 2020 many elderly australians never forget granville and can vividly recall the moment news broke with reports of the horrific carnage on that fateful january morning back in 1977. Search and rescue following the granville rail disaster naa. The aim was to record this important, but a sad part of australias history for current and future generations. The granville disaster 18th january 1977 by stephen halgren on the morning of tuesday 18 january 1977, train no. Australia about the accident, and narrated by brian henderson. Granville rail disasters 40year anniversary photos blue. It remembers the eightythree people who died when the bold street bridge collapsed onto a derailed train. 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. The granville train disaster of 1977 had a similar weakness in its bridge.
All are welcome to the 44th memorial service of the 1977 granville train disaster. Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors. This year, covid19 restrictions will be inplace for community protection as the virus remains active. Eightythree people died, more than 210 were injured and 1,300 were affected. A woman who lost two daughters, her father and stepmother in the granville train disaster almost 40 years ago makes an impassioned appeal for australians to never forget the tragedy. The bridge built after the disaster is a cantilevered design and does not have this vulnerability. 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. Previously, a reference to this disaster was this has been subsequently changed to that of the historians website. On 18 january, 1977 a crowded commuter travelling from blue. Granville train disaster support group home facebook.
National library of austral ia the library building will be closed on good friday, 2 april, and public holiday hours will operate 35 april. 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. Police rescue squad at work following the granville rail disaster in january 1977. Revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977 a 2017 book by b. With cormac costello, stephen curry, helen dallimore, gigi edgley.
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. The granville railtrain disaster occurred on tuesday 18 january 1977 at granville, new south. A television documentary, the train, produced by graham mcneice from shadow productions was aired in 2012 on the history channel australia about the accident, and narrated by brian henderson. Its unclear whether this piece actually aired on 2sm, more likely it was an awar. This book has given a voice to the families, survivors and rescuers who tell their stories of 18th january. Granville train disaster memorial garden monument australia. The red room 99 york st sydney unions nsw raising funds for the injured workers support network. I commend the efforts of the association in agitating for this apology. Renamed granville in 1880, the station was the site of the granville railway disaster in 1977, when 83 people died after a train derailed and hit the bold street overpass. Report on the formal investigation of an accident on or about the up main western railway line at. 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. Granville train disaster association for survivors and families of victims. Jan 18, 2017 on january 18, 1977, a commuter train derailed and struck the bold street bridge near granville station just after 8am, in what remains australias worst rail tragedy.
In total, 83 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the disaster. Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors, victims families. Revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977 was authored by barry gobbe and published in 2015. Granville train disaster, bold street bridge notes. A television documentary, the train, produced by graham mcneice was aired in 2012 on the history channel australia about the accident, and narrated by brian henderson. Revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977 for sale. The garden contains a black granite memorial which lists the names of those who lost their lives. The disaster unfolded within seconds although it was a decade or more in the making via budgetary constraints, especially on rail infrastructure and maintenance expenditure. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. Opposite ablas pastry is the garden memorial to the granville rail disaster of 1977. The new book reexams all the data and exposes what was not made public at the time which.
Today is the 40th anniversary of the granville train disaster and those of us affected will receive an apology of sorts from the nsw minister for transport although i am not working at the moment, most of my years have been spent nursing most recently in mental health. Jan 01, 2011 tragically disaster struck junes life on january 18th 1977 in the form of the granville train disaster. Granville train disaster, bold st bridge the granville rai flickr. A room with desk and chairs and cataloged books shelved on bookcases. I wish to make a contribution in support of the granville train disaster apology motion passed earlier this month in this parliament and to speak to this motion, which is an acknowledgement of the first responders, adding my voice to the contributions made by the premier, the leader of the opposition, the minister for transport and infrastructure, the member for granville and the leader of the. Barry is an injured worker and was medically retired after being assaulted 26012001. Radio news coverage of the granville train disaster in a documentary style. Pearce, k, australian railway disasters, 2nd edn, ipl, sydney, 1999. The sydneybound train had departed from mount victoria station in the blue mountains. The beautiful stories of their lives, loves, laughter and wonderful memories before 18th january 1977, was all june had to hang on to. The official enquiry found the primary cause of the crash to be poor fastening of the track.
Author of 35 years of memories and the second edition retitled revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977. Today is the 40th anniversary of the granville train disaster and those of us affected will receive an apology of sorts from the nsw minister for transport. The 8am service will commence at the memorial gardens with a reading of the 83 names on the memorial wall, then proceed over to the bold street bridge for. On tuesday, 18th january, 1977, passenger train no. Reexamining the factual data which until now has never been questioned. It remains the worst rail disaster in australian history and the greatest loss of life in a confined area postwar. Granville rail disaster 18 january 1977 the dictionary of. Barry is a historian and has authored the book revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977. Granville s other significant railway story is one of tragedy. Granville rail disaster, january 18, 1977 edited transcript. 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. I lot of people felt abandoned after the granville train disaster, he said. A reexamination of the factual data which until now, has never been questioned barry j. Sep 09, 2019 granville train disaster sydney stops the sydney morning herald from remember families on granville granville disaster 1977 nostalgiaforty years on.
Granville railway station station originally known as parramatta junction, which was the final stop of the first railway, opened in 1855. Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors, victims. The 8am service will commence at the memorial gardens with a reading of the 83 names on the memorial wall, then proceed over to the bold street bridge for reflection. Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors, victims families remember. The bridge collapsed and killed 83 passengers and injuring more than 232. Granville train disaster railway disaster sites on. Lewisham rail crash united kingdom eschede train disaster germany. On the morning of tuesday 18 january 1977, train no. In 1977 the bold street overpass was the site of australias worst train disaster. Granville revealed gross inadequacies in new south. Forty years on, granville train disaster survivors, victims families remember by matt osullivan updated january 18, 2017 9. On january 18, 1977, a crowded train derailed and crashed into the bold street bridge at. Granville, near sydney, australia, 18 january, 1977 a crowded commuter train was derailed and struck the supporting pillars of an overbridge.
The granville train crash on january 18, 1977, claimed 83 lives and injured 2 others. The bridge collapsed onto the train killing 83 of the passengers and injuring more than 200 others. Revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977 was authored by barry gobbe. Jun 12, 2017 he has spent decades offering support to people affected by the disaster and has written two books, the second book, revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977, was updated in 2015. 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. The day of the rosesgranville train crash full film. This is the story of a tragic, predictable and ultimately unnecessary accident. 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 book on australias deadliest train crash. Jan 17, 2017 revisiting the granville train disaster of 1977 was authored by barry gobbe and published in 2015. A revised and expanded edition of, 35 years of memories 2011back cover. On january 18th, 1977, a crowded commuter train heading for sydney, derailed hitting a stanchion of the granville bridge. The story of the granville train disaster certainly took on new meaning reading about junes life, and the lives of her girls, cathy and lyndy. The granville train disaster 83 died and 210 injured when at 8.
This film here is the movie based on the 1977 granville train crash. Granville train disaster survivors 40year friendship. Jan 17, 2017 australias worst rail disaster took only seconds to happen but was a decade or more in the making. Granville train disaster, bold street bridge granville. Granville train disaster 1977 devastating disasters. Although i am not working at the moment, most of my years have been spent nursing most recently in mental health. Granville historical society, 2006 disasters 149 pages. Staunton, jh, report on the formal investigation of an accident on or about the up main western railway line at granville on 18th january, 1977, sydney, 1977.
It is the deadliest rail disaster in australian history. The morning commuter train was packed with passengers as it headed from. Oct 7, 2015 the older australian generation will remember this terrible day, the fact some people survived under the crush of the bridge is a miracle in it self. The granville train disaster association incorporated graphic.
The trauma of the granville train disaster forty years of. Jan 18, 2017 on january 18, 1977, a crowded train derailed and crashed into the bold street bridge at granville. The granville rail disaster occurred on 18 january 1977 at granville, a suburb in western 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. I commend ms knight for the work she does in building and fostering the community of survivors, rescuers and loved ones. Granville rail disaster 1977 images all disaster msimages. 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. The garden commemorates those who died or were injured in the granville railway disaster of 1977. Meredith knight, the secretary of the granville train disaster association, was just 15 years of age when she lost her father, bryan knight, in the accident.
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