Granvillefindings
Date of death
1977-01-18
Finding date
1977
Cause of death
Effects of injuries sustained in train derailment and bridge collapse on 18 January 1977 near Granville Railway Station
AI-generated summary
The Granville Train Crash on 18 January 1977 resulted in 83 deaths when Locomotive 4620 derailed near Granville Railway Station, NSW. The locomotive struck and collapsed the Bolds Street Bridge, crushing passenger carriages. Three named deceased (Brian Francis Gordon, Brian Gilsener Knight, and Margaret Emma Lyon Brown) died from injuries on subsequent dates; the remaining 80 died at the crash site. The coroner found the derailment resulted from multiple technical failures: poor permanent way condition, static gauge widening, lateral rail movement capacity, poor track geometry, gauge face wear on the high rail, and flange wear on the locomotive's leading wheels. The train driver and crew were absolved of blame. The coroner commended the police rescue operation, disaster identification team, and investigating officers, and confirmed that recommendations from the Judicial Enquiry and Railway Board of Enquiry were adopted by the Transport Commission.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Poor condition of permanent way
- Static widening of gauge
- Capacity for lateral rail movement
- Poor track geometry
- Angle of wear on gauge face of high rail
- Angle of flange wear on leading wheels of locomotive
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