A devastating rail disaster
Many people lie in Rookwood the victims of tragic life ending events. Some died alone, others were one of a significant number who also called time at the same event. There are many who were victims of rail disasters; ironically a public transport system that revolutionized the tyranny of distance and was a boon for people and goods movement. Today I will focus on an event that occurred on the 31st of October 1894. THE REDFERN RAIL DISASTER. On Wednesday October 31, 1894, the train stations along the western Sydney line were full of commuters, mainly males, heading to their places of employment either in the CBD or outer suburbs and trains ran one after the other within minutes. A commuter train from Strathfield that ran through Ashfield on the fast line prior to 9.30am was proceeding along as usual until just as it was reaching the signal-box above Redfern Station when it collided with the Southern train heading for Goulburn departing from platform 6. The suburban train ...