Sydenham rail disaster
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{{Infobox public transit accident
| name = Sydenham rail disaster
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| date = 19 December 1953
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| location = Sydenham, New South Wales
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| country = Australia
| line = Illawarra
| operator = New South Wales Government Railways
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| type = Collision
| cause = Wrong-side failure
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| trains = 2
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| deaths = 5
| injuries = 748
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The Sydenham rail disaster occurred on 19 December 1953 when a New South Wales Government Railways electric passenger train travelling to Bankstown ran into the rear of another electric train travelling to East Hills at Sydenham.
Five people were killed and 748 injured.{{cite web| url=http://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/content.php/650.html| website=New South Wales Government (Australia)| title=Office for Emergency Services}}{{cite web| url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21856974-5001021,00.html| title=Chronology of Australian train crashes| website=The Daily Telegraph| location=Australia| date=6 June 2007}} A wrong-side failure of the signalling system, as a result of human intervention, was believed to be the cause.
The crash
Two suburban passenger trains, the first travelling to East Hills the following train travelling to Bankstown, collided at about 12:30pm. The Bankstown train was travelling at {{convert|30|to|35|mph}} a few seconds before the crash.{{cite web| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51083857?searchTerm=Sydenham%20train%20crash&searchLimits=l-australian=y| title=Signals Against Train in Tragic Sydney Crash| newspaper=Courier Mail Newspaper| date=21 December 1953}} Both trains were crowded, each with around 1200 passengers, many travelling home after work (it being a Saturday), and Christmas shoppers. The East Hills train was being held at a home signal just on the Sydney side of Sydenham Junction station. The two leading cars of the Bankstown train telescoped into the two trailing cars of the East Hills train.{{cite web| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27520852?searchTerm=railway%20accident%20sydenham%20%20&searchLimits=fromyyyy=1953{{!}}{{!}}{{!}}frommm{{!}}{{!}}{{!}}fromdd{{!}}{{!}}{{!}}toyyyy=1953{{!}}{{!}}{{!}}tomm{{!}}{{!}}{{!}}todd| title=Railwaymen Suspended: Reason not Disclosed| newspaper=Courier Mail Newspaper| date=22 December 1953}}
Synopsis
Signals behind the East Hills train should have been showing stop to protect the train, it was established that the signals were in fact showing proceed giving the following train the belief that the line ahead was clear. In the accident, a signal electrician was attending a failure of a track circuit. To help keep the trains moving, he manipulated the track circuit relay with a screwdriver.{{cite news| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18460769?searchTerm=Sydenham%201953&searchLimits=| newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper| title=Driver of Train on Slaying Charge| date=9 November 1954}}
{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57311510 |title=Screwdriver In Signal Mechanism |newspaper=Morning Bulletin |issue=29,509 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=4 March 1954 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} Distracted by a telephone call, he forgot to remove the screwdriver to drop the track circuit relay when the section became occupied by a train, allowing a second train to see green signals and collide with the first.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18412193 |title=Screwdriver in Signal |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=36,250 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 February 1954 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/content.php/650.html |title=1953, December 19, Sydenham rail emergency |website=Emergency New South Wales |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121214000/http://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/content.php/650.html |archive-date=21 November 2007}}
The driver of the second train (the Bankstown train) was charged with manslaughter, accused of being under the influence of alcohol. He was later acquitted of the charge by a jury.{{cite web| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42846158?searchTerm=Sydenham%20train%20crash&searchLimits=| title=Train Driver Acquitted| newspaper=Cairns Post Newspaper| date=12 November 1954}} A Signals Electrician was also charged with manslaughter for his part in the incident.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42804062 |title=Railway Men For Trial| newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=16,219 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=5 March 1954 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}
Aftermath
Since that time, training and procedures for signal electricians have been strengthened and it is clearly stated in railway rules that in the event of a track circuit failure, no attempt shall be made to clear any of the signals controlled by the track circuit by manipulation of the track circuit relay...{{cite book| title=NSW Signalling Maintenance Procedures| chapter=SMP04 - Clause 1.6.9}}
Two carriages of the East Hills train (the second and sixth) were older wooden bodied carriages and it was claimed this may have contributed to the deaths and injuries, although the Bankstown train, a fully steel carriage train, suffered more damage.{{cite web| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page1071336?zoomLevel=3&&searchTerm=Sydenham%20train%20accident&searchLimits=| newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald| date=22 December 1953| title=Railwaymen Suspended}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{1953 railway accidents}}
{{Railway accidents and incidents in Australia}}
{{Coord|33|54|48|S|151|10|06|E|region:AU_type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:Railway accidents in 1953
Category:Railway accidents and incidents in New South Wales
Category:Accidents and incidents involving New South Wales Government Railways
Category:1950s in New South Wales
Category:December 1953 in Australia