The Sydenham rail disaster occurred on 19 December 1953 when a New South Wales Government Railways

New South Wales Government Railways

The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...

 electric passenger train travelling to Bankstown ran into the rear of another electric train travelling to East Hills

East Hills, New South Wales

East Hills, a suburb of local government area City of Bankstown, is located 26 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the South-western Sydney region....

 at Sydenham

Sydenham, New South Wales

For other places called Sydenham, see Sydenham .Sydenham is a small suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydenham is located 8 kilometres south of Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council...

.

Five people were killed and 748 injured. A wrong-side failure

Wrong-side failure

A wrong side failure describes a failure condition in a piece of railway signalling equipment that results in an unsafe state.A typical example would be a signal showing a 'proceed' aspect when it should be showing a 'stop' or 'danger' aspect, resulting in a "false clear"...

 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 30 to 35 miles an hour a few seconds before the crash. 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.

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, the signal electrician was attending a failure of a track circuit

Track circuit

A track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the absence of a train on rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals.- Principles and operation :...

. To help keep the trains moving, he manipulated the track circuit relay

Relay

A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal , or where several circuits must be controlled...

with a screwdriver. 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.
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. A Signals Electrician was also charged with manslaughter for his part in the incident.

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...
Two of the 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.

Earlier Sydenham Accident

The withdrawal of the F-class steam locomotives from passenger service was the result of the Sydenham derailment of 15 February 1901. The train involved was the 5.55 pm from Sydney, bound for Hurstville. Shortly after passing Sydenham Junction, the engine suddenly left the rails, shot off the track to the left in the vicinity of the level crossing at Bridge Street, collided with and smashed the crossing gate and signal post and travelled some distance down Bridge Street before coming to a stand. Seven persons were killed, including the Fireman, and 25 were injured.