This compilation contains the names of more than 300 railwaymen (ie employees, not public passengers) who were killed or died while on duty between 1879 and today. Many workers have also suffered injuries, some life-threatening, which it has not been possible to include.
392 records found. Showing 251–275.
| Date | Surname | Given names | Designation | Location | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913-07-14 | NELSON | James | Guard | Yarloop, Millars T & T | James Nelson was 53 years of age when he was fatally injured while shunting at Yarloop. James died during an emergency operation later that day. | Open PDF |
| 2061-03-14 | NETTLETON | Frank | Guard | Northam | Frank Nettleton was 38 years of age when he was fatally injured during shunting operations at Northam. Frank lived at Northam with his wife Roma Elizabeth and he is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/ZS/0090). | Open PDF |
| 1939-04-10 | NEVE | George Coomber | Stationmaster | Mt Barker | George Neve was 54 years of age when he was fatally injured while shunting at Mount Barker. George is believed to have been locking points when previously shunted trucks rolled back and struck him. George died before being admitted to hospital. George lived in Mount Barker with his wife Lilia, she survived him by 17 years and they both interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (WESLEYAN/GA/0264). | Open PDF |
| 1906-04-20 | NEWBY | Thomas Richard | Fireman | Kurrawang woodline | Thomas Newby was 26 years of age when he was fatally crushed in the cab of the locomotive "SADIE". The locomotive had crashed into stationary trucks which had previously broken away while being propelled by "SADIE" and another locomotive, "KURRAWANG". When the collision occurred "KURRAWANG" crashed through intervening water tankers and crashed into the rear of "SADIE", pinning its driver and Thomas, the fireman, against the boiler. Thomas died 3 hours later while still trapped. His body was not extricated from the wreckage for some 23 hours. Thomas lived in Kalgoorlie and was interred at Kalgoorlie Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1904-09-05 | NICHOLSON | Anthony (Incorrectly reported as Andrew.) | Driver | Mokine | Anthony Nicholson was 42 years of age when he was fatally scalded in the derailment of locomotive Ec 247 at Mokine. A combination of speed and poor track condition caused the derailment. Anthony lived at Northam and is interred in the WESLEYAN portion of the Northam Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1963-08-24 | NOONE | Bruce James | Shunter | Robb’s Jetty | Bruce Noone was 28 Years of age when he died as the result of a shunting accident at Robb's Jetty. Bruce lived at Hilton and he is memorialised at the Fremantle Crematoriam Rose Garden. | Open PDF |
| 1904-11-30 | O'BRIEN | John | Fettler | Bayswater | John O'Brien was 59 years of age when he was struck and killed while engaged in track repair work at Bayswater. John is thought to have misunderstood shouted warnings of an approaching train and was struck by the engine as it passed. John lived in Perth and was interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ROMAN CATHOLIC/AA/0095). | Open PDF |
| 1951-07-04 | O'CALLAGHAN | Patrick Joseph James | Porter | Perth Goods Shed | Patrick O'Callaghan was 44 years of age when he collapsed and died suddenly on the morning of Wednesday 4 July 1951 while carrying out his duties as a porter at the Perth Goods Sheds. Patrick lived at Mount Lawley with his wife Mary and their daughter, Valerie. Mary survived Patrick by 56 years and passed away at the age of 95 in 2007, she is interred with Patrick at Karrakatta Cemetery. (ROMAN CATHOLIC/KC/0232) | Open PDF |
| 1893-12-06 | O'CONNELL | Patrick | Navvy | Yilgarn Railway | Patrick O'Connell, aged 30, died when he slipped as he attempted to get onto a moving wagon. He had been working with a gang at a camp near Merredin. He is interred at York Cemetery. Information provided by Julie Rae a York Historian. March 2016 | Open PDF |
| 1898-10-29 | O'DRISCOLL | Patrick | Ganger | Hick's Siding (Gwambygine) | Patrick O'Driscoll, (A.K.A. Patrick DRISCOLL in WAGR records) was a Ganger on the Great Southern Railway and employed by the WAGR. Patrick was killed and his companion, John Shaw, was seriously injured when their per-way tricycle was run down by a train at Hick's Siding (Later Gwambygine) about ten miles (16 kilometres) south of York. Patrick lived in Newcastle (later renamed, Toodyay) with his wife and two children. He was interred at Newcastle (Toodyay) Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1910-02-24 | O'GORMAN | Michael | Powder monkey | Naraling | Michael O'Gorman was in his 40s when he was fatally injured in a blasting accident on the Yilgarn line. Michael was single and lived at Northampton. He was interred at Northampton Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1915-08-20 | O'HALLORAN | Frederick | Navvy | Rawlinna, TAR | Frederick O'Halloran was fatally injured when he was struck by a length of rail being unloaded at Rawlinna on the Trans Australia Railway. Frederick died at the scene. | Open PDF |
| 1917-05-17 | O'NEILL | John | Porter | Subiaco | John O'Neill was 45 years of age when he was run down and killed while shunting at Subiaco. John lived at Highgate Hill with his wife, Mary Josephine, and their six children. Mary survived John by 28 years and they are both interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ROMAN CATHOLIC/EC/0384). | Open PDF |
| 1908-07-27 | O'NEILL | Thomas Cranstone | Ganger | Mt Barker | Thomas O'Neill was 58 years of age when he was fatally injured as the result of his per way trolley being run down by the Albany-Perth express. Thomas died before reaching hospital in Albany. Thomas lived about 3 miles (5 kilometres) South of Mount Barker and is interred at Mount Barker Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1915-03-15 | O'SULLIVAN | Michael | Navvy | Naretha, TAR | See also Cecil Mallon. Michael O'Sullivan was 38 years of age when he and Cecil Mallon (28) were jolted from a wagon and fell under the wheels, both died instantly. Cecil lived at Kalgoorlie and is interred at Kalgoorlie Cemetery. The engine driver was tried for manslaughter and acquitted. | Open PDF |
| 1894-02-24 | OLSEN | Neils Christian (See Holm) | Navvy | Capel | Neils Olsen's was 31 years of age when he died, on 1 March 1894, seven days after being injured when a pile driver fell over while he was at the top of it with Christian Holm inspecting parts of the machine. He is interred at the Bunbury Pioneers Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1951-03-05 | OMMUNDSEN | Arne | Length runner | Yaloginda | Arne Ommundsen was 35 years of age when he was fatally injured in a head-on collision between his per way trolley and a train on the Cue-Meekatharra Line. Arne lived in Cue and may have been interred at Cue Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1905-08-04 | PAGE | Frederick George | Porter | Perth | Frederick Page was 35 years of age when he was fatally injured while crossing the tracks at Perth station and died at Perth Public Hospital in the early hours of Saturday 5 August. Frederick lived in James Street West Perth with his wife, Dorothea, for seven years and he is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/GC/0286). | Open PDF |
| 1934-04-02 | PALFREYMAN | Arthur | Porter | Perth | Arthur Palfreyman was 35 years of age when he was run down and killed at Perth Station while engaged in shunting operations. Arthur stepped clear of an arriving train and is believed to have tripped and fallen into the path of an approaching shunting engine. Arthur lived at Maylands with his wife and two children and he is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (WESLEYAN/FC/0274). | Open PDF |
| 1941-06-21 | PARRETT | Reuben | Fitter | Wagin | Reuben Parrett was 50 years of age when he was fatally injured while riding on a per way tricycle in the course of his duties a a fitter. He died in Wagin Hospital 6 hours after the accident. Reuben lived in Narrogin with his wife Susan and their 5 Children. Reuben was interred at the Narrogin Cemetery (METHODIST/J/11). | Open PDF |
| 1886-12-29 | PARRY | George | Labourer | Albany - Hall's Cutting | George Parry was about 35 years of age when he and John Hall were severely injured by a blasting accident during the construction of the Albany-Beverley Railway line, later known as The Great Southern. George died of his injuries on 1 January 1887. John Hall recovered. George lived in Albany and was interred at Albany Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1961-10-09 | PATERSON | James | Guard | Midland Junction | James Paterson was 51 years of age when he died as the result of a shunting accident at Midland Junction. James lived at South Perth with his wife, Mollie, and he is memorialise at Karrakatta Cemetery (Crematorium Rose Garden/Garden T/0295). | Open PDF |
| 1949-11-25 | PATTENDEN | Thomas Albert | Head Shunter | Pinjarra | Thomas Pattenden was 29 years of age when he was fatally injured in a shunting accident at Pinjarra. Admitted to Pinjarra Hospital with horrendous injuries, he died five hours later. Thomas lived at East Fremantle with his wife Kathleen and he is interred at Fremantle Cemetery (ANGLICAN/MON A8/0174). | Open PDF |
| 1920-11-06 | PAULSON | John Godfield (See Wilton) | Guard | Mornington Mill, Millars T & T | John Paulson was the guard of the train in what was later to become known as the Wokalup rail disaster. John the fireman, Thomas Wilton, and seven timber workers were killed. John Paulson and three of the timber workers were veterans of the "Great War 1914-18". The locomotive "Jubilee" and its train of sleepers ran away on a steep down grade and derailed on a curve not far from Wokalup. Thomas' father, Christopher Wilton the Traffic Foreman, who was also on the loco jumped clear and survived. The driver, Clarence Cook and timber worker Lloyd Morey were injured but also survived the accident. | Open PDF |
| 1917-07-24 | PEACOCK | Christopher James | Fireman | Boyerine | Christopher Peacock was 25 years of age when he was fatally injured in the derailment of his locomotive caused by a washaway at a flooded culvert. Christopher was trapped in the locomotive cab by wagons and timber. He received scald and crush injuries and died when the weight was taken off him. Christopher lived with his parents at Katanning. Christopher is interred at Katanning Cemetery with his older brother, Ralph, who was killed in action at Pozier exactly one year previously. | Open PDF |
Death or serious injury, in the days before compulsory workers’ compensation insurance, could, and often did, result in the victim’s family being left destitute. The families often had to rely, at least in the short term, on the charity of their community and the generosity of the injured or deceased worker’s colleagues.
Many men, stationed at outlying depots, were faced with such rudimentary medical facilities that an injury which may have been survivable in a large town or city could and often did prove fatal.
Contemporary newspaper reports and edited transcripts of coronial inquiries have been included where they are available. Some photographs of these railwaymen have been made available by descendants and other family members. Other information welcome and can be sent to archivist@railheritagewa.org.au
Caution: Contemporary newspaper reports, particularly those prior to 1920, sometimes contain explicit descriptions of the injuries sustained by the deceased person. Some readers may find these descriptions offensive and in bad taste by today’s standards. However, they reflect the norms of the times and are reproduced as found.